USFK protest over Osan Air Base search raises eyebrows

A U.S. AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft is seen at a press event at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, June 24, 2024. Newsis

A recent protest lodged by United States Forces Korea (USFK) over a special counsel team’s search at Osan Air Base has raised questions among Seoul officials about the basis of the complaint, sources said Friday.

The rare protest by the U.S. military focuses on the fact that the search was not communicated in advance, even though investigators passed through areas managed by U.S. forces to reach a Korean-managed zone — their intended target during the search on July 21.

Washington has claimed that the move violated procedures under the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which governs the legal status of the U.S. military’s operations in Korea.

Seoul, however, appears to argue that passing through the U.S.-managed area was unavoidable for the investigators to access their target area, and thus does not constitute a violation of SOFA.

"The investigators’ entry to Osan base was carried out in line with established security and entry procedures agreed upon by both sides," a government official told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity. "Under the agreement, visitors from each side follow their own procedures when entering respective areas, which has been the standard procedure."

Osan Air Base, located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, around 53 kilometers south of Seoul, is divided into Korean-managed and U.S.-managed sections, with some areas jointly administered.

The special counsel team’s search targeted the Korean-only zone, specifically the 1st Central Air Defense Control Center of the Air Force’s Air Defense Operations Command. Investigators sought to verify whether the Armed Forces’ drone operations command had coordinated with the Air Force unit during their alleged drone reconnaissance flights to Pyongyang in October and November 2024.

"To reach the Korean-only area, investigators inevitably had to pass through parts of a U.S. military-managed zone, including corridors and buildings," the official explained, adding that similar procedures by other visitors in the past did not result in protests by the U.S. side.

SOFA limits Korean authorities from conducting search and seizure operations within U.S.-managed areas without consent, but does not provide detailed rules on base entry procedures.

Earlier this month, Lt. Gen. David Iverson, deputy commander of USFK and head of the Seventh Air Force, sent a letter of protest to Korea’s foreign ministry over the special counsel team’s search of Osan Air Base.

An F-16 fighter jet takes off from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, May 30, 2024. Newsis

Iverson serves as the U.S. co-chair of the SOFA Joint Committee, while the Korean co-chair is the director-general of the foreign ministry’s North American Affairs Bureau.

Sources said the letter did not specifically request an official apology or preventive measures, but rather sought clarification from the Korean government, referencing Articles 3 and 22 of SOFA.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said the special counsel team's search was not a matter requiring consultation with the U.S., as it was conducted in an area managed by the Korean military.

"In a broader sense, it does not constitute a violation of the SOFA," Ahn said during a National Assembly audit Friday. "I was informed about the protest (by USFK) but was told by the foreign ministry that the misunderstanding has been resolved."

But it remains unclear why USFK lodged a formal protest three months after the search, as no objections were reportedly raised at the time of the July operation.

Some observers suggest the delay may reflect prolonged U.S. legal review procedures, while others point to broader diplomatic implications following President Donald Trump’s apparent order to look into the issue.

Shortly before a summit with President Lee Jae Myung in Washington in August, Trump wrote on social media, "Seems like there is a Purge or Revolution" in Korea. He later told press he had heard that "they even went into a military base and got information. I don’t know if it’s true or not. I’ll be finding out."

The USFK declined to comment on the matter. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate to confirm details of defense-related consultations.