Photos Fwd: We oppose the South Koreans’ paying for the whole cost of the relocation of the USFK bases

* All the image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea on Aug. 31, 2010

미군기지 이전협정(LPP) 전면 부정하는 기지 이전비용 전액 한국 부담 반대!
104차 평화군축집회 - 2010 년 8월 31일
We oppose the South Koreans’ paying for the whole cost of the relocation of the USFK bases, which totally denies the Land Partnership Plan (LPP) !
104th Peace Disarmament rally-Aug. 31, 2010

'△ 원래 용산기지 이전 비용은 한국이, 미2사단 이전비용은 미국이 부담하기로 한 것을,
방위비 분담금을 불법으로 축적하여 전용한다고 하더니,
결국은 한국보고 모두 부담하라는 미국, 그 돈 줄 필요 없으니 돌아가라!!'
'△ It was supposed that the ROK would pay for the cost for the relocation of the Yonsan base while the United States would pay for the relocation of the US army 2nd division.
Then [the United States] said that she would appropriate the defense budget sharing cost illegally accumulated.
Now the United States who finally says the ROK should pay all the cost. Go back home, we don’t need to give the money to you!!'

'Ulterior motives behind the restoration of the conscription term
: Increment of the defense budget & retreat of the defense reform'
_________________________________________________________
* Related blog

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Text Fwd: [Translation]Bills of the ROK-US Alliance, Continuously flying into [the ROK]
계속 날아드는 한미동맹 청구서
_________________________________________________________
* Related articles

Korea Times 08-30-2010
Questions rise over cost-sharing for US base relocation in Korea

Korea Times 08-30-2010
Debate on military service period heats up

Text Fwd: [Translation]Bills of the ROK-US Alliance, Continuously flying into [the ROK] 계속 날아드는 한미동맹 청구서

* Image source: Same as the linked article

▲ "방위비분담금 전액 삭감!" 2008년 10월 8차 방위비분담특별협정 협상이 진행 중인 외교통상부 정문 앞에서 평통사 회원들이 방위비분담금 전액 삭감을 요구하고 있다. ⓒ 유영재
▲ “Cut whole defense budget sharing cost!” Members of the Solidarity for Peace And reunification of Korea are demanding to cut the whole defense budget sharing cost in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Department where the 8th Special Measure Agreement is being processed in October, 2008. ⓒ Ryu Young-Jae
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* The below is hurried arbitrary translation from the linked article.

Ohmynews
계속 날아드는 한미동맹 청구서
: 돈 한 푼 안 내고 첨단기지 짓겠다는 미국 속내 속속 드러나
Bills of the ROK-US Alliance, Continuously flying into [the ROK] :The United States’ intentions that she would build the high-tech base with no cost [from herself] are being revealed one after another.

10.08.30
Oct. 30, 2010

유영재, 평화와 통일을 여는 사람들 미군 문제 팀장
Ryu Young-Jae
Director of the USFK Matters
Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

미국이 마침내 주한미군기지 이전비용을 단 한 푼도 내지 않겠다는 속내를 드러냈다.

The United States has finally revealed her intentions that she would not be charged of any cost for the relocation of the USFK bases.

한미당국은 10월 초 열리는 한미안보협의회(SCM)에서 전시작전통제권 환수 연기 계획인 '전략동맹 2015'을 채택할 예정인데, 미국이 여기에서 미군기지이전사업에 소요되는 공사비 4조7천억원을 우리 정부가 미측에 지불하는 방위비분담금을 전용해 충당한다는 내용을 명기하겠다는 뜻을 밝혔다고 한다.

While the authorities of the ROK-US are to adopt the ‘strategic alliance 2015’ that is the plan for the postponement of the redemption of the war time operational control (OPCON) right at the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) that is held in early October, it is told that the United States expressed her will that she would state the content that she would meet the construction cost of 4 trillion 700 billion won [about $3billion] for the relocation business of the USFK base, by appropriating the defense-sharing cost that out government pays for.

미측은 1조7천억원 가량의 설계비 등도 한국 정부가 현금으로 제공하는 방안을 보증해주도록 요구했다고 한다. 이는 한국이 제공하는 방위비분담금을 계속 빼돌려서 자신들이 부담하기로 되어있는 미2사단이전비용을 모두 충당하겠다는 뜻이다.

It is also told that the United States demanded that she would assure the measure of which the ROK government would provide the cash for the layout cost of about 1trillion 700 billion won [about $1.4billion]. It means that she intends to meet all the relocation cost for the US army 2nd division, which has been supposed to be paid by her, by continuously diverting all the defense-sharing cost that the ROK would provide.

한미양국은 2004년에 협정을 맺어 용산미군기지이전은 한국이, 미2사단이전비용은 미국이 부담하기로 했다. 한국 정부는 이에 따라 전체 미군기지이전비용을 한미양국이 절반씩 부담할 것이라고 국민에게 밝혀왔다.

The authorities of ROK-US having an agreement in 2004, decided that the ROK charges for the relocation of the Yongsan USFK base while the United States charge for the 2nd army division. Following it, the ROK government has announced its people that the whole relocation cost will be paid half by half both by the authorities of the ROK and US.

미2사단이전비용 한국 부담은 LPP협정 위반

The South Korean charge for the relocation cost for the 2nd U. S. army division is the violation of the Land Partnership Plan(LPP) agreement

그런데 미국은 2001년부터 방위비분담금 중 현금으로 지급되는 군사건설비(MILCON)를 미2사단 이전비용으로 충당할 목적으로 2008년 10월 현재 1조1193억원을 축적해왔고 한국 정부는 이를 국민과 국회에 알리지 않고 제멋대로 묵인해왔다.

However, the United States has accumulated about 1trillion 119.3 billion 300 million won [about $9.3billion] of the military construction cost (MILCON) that is provided with cash among the defense sharing costs for the purpose to meet the relocation cost for the 2nd army division, as of this October, 2010 and the ROK government has connived as it pleases, without informing to its people and national Assembly.

이는 미2사단이전비용은 미국이 부담하도록 명시되어 있는 한미연합토지관리계획(LPP)개정협정 4조 1항에 대한 명백한 위반이다. 이 밖에도 헌법과 국가재정법, 국회법 등 국내법과 한미SOFA, 방위비분담금협정 등 한미 간 협정의 관련 규정에 모두 어긋난다.

This is a clear violation of the 1st clause, article 4, in the Land Partnership Plan(LPP) in which it is stated that the relocation cost for the US 2nd army division is supposed to be charged by the United States. Beside that, it also runs counter against the domestic laws -such as the Constitution, law on the national finance and law on the national Assembly- and ROK-US agreements such as the ROK-US Status of Forces Agreement and Special Measure Agreement(SMA) [that is on the sharing cost of the defense budget].

이에 대한 불법성 논란이 확산되자 한미당국은 2008~2009년의 8차 방위비분담 특별협정 체결 협상과정에서 방위비분담금 전용을 인정하는 전제 위에서 시설의 설계 및 시공감리와 관련된 비용을 제외하고는 현금 지원을 현물지원으로 전환하는 합의를 했다.

As the controversy on the illegality has been expanded, the authorities of the ROK-US agreed with each other to converse the cash support to the spot supports, except for the cost related to the layout and supervision of the construction, on the premise that they acknowledged the appropriation of the defense budget sharing cost, during the negotiation process of the 8th Special Measure Agreement in 2008~2009.

한미당국은 이 과정에서 방위비분담금 전용을 2013년까지 허용하기로 했다. 이는 방위비분담금 전용이 불법 부당하다는 점을 한미당국이 간접적으로 인정한 것으로 볼 수 있다. 그런데 미국은 천안함 사건과 전시작전통제권 환수 연기를 계기로 여기서 한 발 더 나아가 기왕의 문제가 있는 합의까지 무시하고, 방위비분담금 불법 전용을 2015년까지 더 연장할 것과 '전략동맹 2015'에 주한미군기지이전을 한국이 모두 부담하는 내용을 명시해달라고 요구하고 있는 것이다.

During the process, the ROK & US authorities agreed each other to permit the [US] appropriation of the defense budget sharing cost by 2013. It can be seen as the ROK & US authorities indirectly acknowledged that the appropriation of the defense budget sharing cost was illegal and unjust. However, now the United States further ignoring the problematic existing agreement upon the moments of the Cheonan ship incident and postponement of the redemption of the war time OPCON right, is demanding the ROK to state to extend the illegal appropriation of the defense sharing cost into 2015 and to charge all the costs for the relocation of the USDK base in the ‘Strategic Alliance 2015.”

미국은 방위비분담금 중 군사건설비 현물지원 등을 통해 미2사단을 건축할 뿐만 아니라 자신들이 현금으로 부담해야 할 2013년 이후의 설계 및 시공감리 비용까지 한국민의 혈세인 방위비분담금으로 충당하려는 것이다.

The United States not only intends to construct the [new facility] for the US end army division through the spot support for the military construction cost among the defense budget sharing costs but also intends to make even the layout & construction supervision cost after 2013 that they have to pay with spots charged by the defense budget sharing cost which is the blood tax by the South Koreans.

미국이 공격적 군사전략에 따라 미군을 신속기동군으로 바꾸기 위해 평택으로 미군 기지를 확장이전하면서 협정을 통해 자신들이 부담하기로 한 비용까지 모두 한국에 강요하는 것은 우리 국민이 도저히 받아들일 수 없는 일방적이고 불법적이며 낯 두꺼운 태도라 하지 않을 수 없다.

The attitude of the United States who expands and relocates the USFK bases into Pyongtaek to change the United States Forces of Korea as the expeditionary forces, enforces the ROK to pay even all the costs that she was supposed to pay cannot but be told as the unilateral, illegal and white-faced that our people can hardly accept.

한미동맹 청구서 3탄?
Is it the part 3 of the ROK-US Alliance Bill?

이명박 정부는 천안함 사건을 빌미로 한 대북 적대정책에 미국을 끌어들이면서 지난 6월 캐나다 한미정상회담에서 전시작전통제권 환수 연기 허락을 미국으로부터 받아냈다. 이에 대한 대가설이 제기되자 이명박 정부는 이를 전면 부인하면서 추가 예산소요도 없을 것이라고 강변했다.

The Lee Myung-Bak government drawing the United States into the hostile policy against the North Korea with the excuse of the Cheonan ship incident, received from the United States the permission of the postponement of the recovery of the war time OPCOM right during the ROK-US summit meeting, Canada, June. When there the discourse on the compensation was raised, the Lee Myung-Bak government totally denying it, quibbled that there would be even no supplementary budget need.

그러나 미국이 자동차와 쇠고기 조항에 대한 수정을 요구하는 한미FTA는 이미 한미정상회담 자리에서 오바마 미국 대통령이 협상 일정까지 명시할 정도로 사전 협의가 이뤄져 물밑 협상이 진행 중이다.
However, the [pending ROK-US] Free Trade Agreement in which the United States demand [the ROK] the revision on the clauses in automobiles and beef is being processed behind screen, with its prior agreement being established as for the President Obama to already elucidate the negotiation schedule in the summit meeting between the ROK and US.

뿐만 아니라 이명박 정부는 우리 경제와 외교에 대한 타격을 감수하고 이란에 대한 독자적 제재를 요구하는 미국의 요구를 수용했다. 여기에 더해 미국은 자신이 맺은 협정(LPP)을 완전히 짓밟아 버리고 주한미군기지이전비용 전액 부담을 한국에 요구하고 있는 것이다. 앞으로 아프간에 대한 전투병 재파병 요구도 구체화될 가능성이 높다.

Not only that, the Lee Myung-Bak government willingly submitting the blow to our economy and diplomacy, accepted the demand of the United States who demands the independent sanction against Iran. Adding to that, the United states is completely trampling down the LPP she has signed herself and demanding the ROK the whole charge of the relocation cost for the USFK base. There is high possibility that her demands for the re-sispatch of the combat troops to Afghanistan would be more concrete.

미국은 이처럼 천안함 사건에 대한 협조와 전시작전통제권 환수 연기에 대한 대가를 이명박 정부로부터 톡톡히 받아내고 있다. 한반도 평화위협과 군사주권 박탈의 대가로 외교·안보에 대한 타격은 물론이고 경제 위기와 재정적 부담까지 가중되는 이런 기막힌 상황은 이명박 정부의 한미동맹 몰입 외교와 대북 적대정책이 빚어낸 결과물이다.

The United States is receiving in great deal the compensation for the cooperation on the Cheonan ship incident and postponement of the redemption of the war Time Operational Control right. Such horrible situation in which, not to mention the blow in diplomacy & security, the economic crisis and financial burden add weights at the cost of the threat in the peace in the Korean peninsula and deprivation of the military sovereignty is the result of the Lee Myung-Bak government’s diplomacy being immersed in the ROK-US alliance and its hostile policies against North Korea.

한미동맹을 명분으로 한 불법 부당한 미군기지이전비용 전액 한국 부담을 우리가 과연 허용해야 하는가. 미국 내에서 군사전략 변화와 비용절감의 필요성에 따른 해외 미군감축 움직임이 있는 가운데 평택미군기지확장사업을 계속하는 것은 장차 엄청난 사회적 자원의 낭비를 초래할 수도 있지 않겠는가. 온갖 희생과 부담을 강요하는 족쇄가 되고 있는 불평등한 한미동맹을 우리가 언제까지 감내해야 하는가.

Should we possibly allow the South Korean charge of all the costs for the relocation of the USFK base, which is illegal and unjust, under the name of the ROK-US alliance? When there is the moves for the reduction of the overseas US forces following the needs of the change in the military strategy and costs reduction in the United States, will it not bring the tremendous waste of social resource in the future to continue the expansion business of Pyeongtaek USFK base, will it? By when should we bear the unequal ROK-US alliance that is becoming the leg-iron that enforces all kinds of our sacrifices and burdens?

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Translator's note

: The annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between Robert Gates and Kim Tae Young (Minister of the National Defense, ROK) was on Oct. 22. According to the Korean activists here, the SCM document, 2009 (check No. 546, HERE), for the first time, explicitly expressed 1: the strengthened U.S.-S.K. alliance regarding Missile Defense, 2: the expansion of the alliance beyond the Korean peninsula (strategic flexibility).
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작년 미군 SOFA 사범 63% 급증…절도 `쑥'(서울=연합뉴스, 2010.8.29)
US soldiers’ crimes, especially theft in violation of the SOFA have suddenly increased by 63 % last year (Seoul, Yonhap News, Aug. 29, 2010)

(서울=연합뉴스) 박성민 기자 = 지난해 한미 주둔군지위협정(SOFA)을 위반한 범죄가 급증한 것으로 나타났다. 29일 경찰청이 최근 발간한 `2010 경찰백서'에 따르면 지난해 SOFA 사범은 306명으로 2008년 183명보다 67.2%나 늘어났다. SOFA 적용대상은 주한미군과 군속, 이들의 가족으로 나뉘며 지난해 사범을 분류하면 미군이 201명으로 전년(123명)보다 63.4% 늘었고, 군속 등은 105명으로 2008년(60명)에 비해 75%나 급증했다.
범죄유형을 보면 폭력이 130명(2008년 100명)으로 가장 많았고, 절도 83명(2008년 23명), 지능범 15명(2008년 6명), 강도 7명(2008년 8명), 강간 5명(2008년 5명)이었다. 2008년 3건 발생한 성범죄는 지난해 한 건도 없었고, 최근 5년간 한 건도 없었던 살인은 한 건 발생했다. 경찰은 "최근 3년간 지속적으로 감소하던 절도 범죄가 지난해 많이 늘어난 것이 특징"이라고 말했다.

SPARK: Largely Cut the 2010 Defense Budget!

SPARK: Largely Cut the 2010 Defense Budget for Feeding the USFK(United States Forces of Korea), Ignorant of People’s Welfare, and Countering Peace!

The Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) denounced the review upon the way of rough and ready method by the Defense Committee, National Assembly of ROK, in the 96th Peace and Disarmament rally on Nov. 23, 2009. The SPARK denounced the committee for adding more of the unnecessary items to the original defense budget submitted by the government .

According to SPARK, ‘among the defense budget, about 3 trillion 300 billion won [about $2.7 billion] is related to the South Korea-United States alliance. Many parts of the amount are not based on the laws.’ For example, among the defense sharing cost of 790.4billion won [about $750 million], the CDIP budget of 44 billion won [about $4o million] has no legal base. See the detail in the below.

The SPARK also said the South Korea is No. 1 country that imports the U.S. made weapons and is trying to stablize the system for purchasing the US arms through the FMS

(* For reference, the South Korean defense budget in 2009 was 28 trillion 500 billion won [about $19~20 billion] and the 2010 defense budget submitted by the government is 29 trillion 600 billion won [about $25 billion], 3.8% increase from last year while
the increment of general budget is 2 % from last year. The South Korean military expenditure as of GDP is 2. 7% in 2006 while the amount of its total military expenditure was within 15 in the world. )

They had also a rolling one-person protest in front of the National Assembly in the morning.

The SPARK pointed out the 13 items to be first cut. (The exchange rate here was calculated 1$=1,160 won)

* Image source: SPARK
‘Cut the Illegal budget [for the law-baseless support of the United States Forces of Korea] ’,
‘Denounces the Defense Committee who supports the illegal budget’,
and ‘Cut the budget of 17.5billion won [about $15million] for the expansion of the Mugeonri training field’

* Image source: No base stories of Korea

Top: Fund for the creation of the social jobs instead cutting 32.5billion won [$ about 29 million] while cut the 0.3 ~21 billion won[about $0.25~19 million] for the excessive human cost for the high ranking military officers instead budgeting it!

Bottom: Fund 54.1billion won [about $ 50 million] for the lunch for the children going without a meal while cutting 27.2 billion won [about $25million] for the new construction of the seven military golf fields instead budgeting it!

* Image source: No base stories of Korea

Right: What on earth the talk on importing the special Presidential airplane[about $ 25milion]
while cutting the social welfare for the disabled!

Left: Cut the budget of 80.2 billion won [about $76 million] for the cluster munitions,
for the peace of the Korean peninsula

* Image source: SPARK
‘Cut the budget of 17.5billion won [about $15 million]
for the expansion of the Mugeonri training field’

* Image source: SPARK

'one-person protest in front of the National Assembly:
Largely Cut the 2010 Defense Budget for Feeding the USFK,
Ignorant of People’s Welfare, Countering Peace!'

* Related Korean articles:

SPARK
Largely Cut the 2010 Defense Budget for Feeding the USFK, Ignorant of People’s Welfare, and Countering Peace!
Nov. 23, 2009


*Below is the summary translation (unofficial)of the SPARK letter to the Defense Committee of the national Assembly of the ROK on Nov. 23, 2009.
* It was updated on Dec. 25, 2009, referring to the article at the bottom.


For the National Assembly that has the right of review and confirmation for budgets, to do its proper job:

1. It must first greatly cut the illegal budgets that have no legal basis in the government submission for the defense budget, 2010. Those are the costs for

__Combined Defense Improvement Project (CDIP)
:44 billion won [about $ 40 million]

Why? : Even though the Ministry of the National Defense(MND) claims the cost for the CDIP on the base
of the 8th Special Measure Agreement(2009~2013), the fact is that the 1st article of that agreement has no clause on CDIP because of no more need for demand for it by the USFK.

__ Research of the environmental contamination and healing business for the
returned USFK base
: 81.2 billion won [about $80 million]

Why?: There is no agreement between the United States and South Korea that the Koreans should cure the environmental damage of the returned U.S. base. By the ‘principal of the responsibility of the party that provided the cause of contamination’ acknowledged as the international law, it should be charged by the United States.

___Creation of the Cyber Defense Command Headquarter
: 3.1billion won [about $ 2.9 million]

___Construction of the Golf Field
: 4.3billion won [about $ 4.0 million]

Why? : While the former has no legal base for budgeting as the defense Committee has pointed out itself before, the latter is a violation of the ‘law on the special accounting on the relocation of the Defense military facilities’


2. The Defense Council must great cut the budget for the waste, ignorant of people’s welfare. They are:

___Excessive human cost for the high ranking military officers. In the item of soldiers’ welfare fund

Creation/ expansion of the seven golf fields
: 27.3billion won [about $ 24 million]

Fix of hotel and Condo
: 3.9billion won [about $3.5 million]

Rent fee for the Presidential special airplane
: 29.1 billion won [about $2.5 million]

• The President has rather told to cut all the waste in the government budget.

IPTV business
: 13.4 billion won [about $11 million]



3. The Defense Council must cut the cost for the purchase of all the aggressive weapons that counters against the Peace in the Korean peninsula

__Purchase for the next generation tank Heukpyo:
: 88.2 billion won[about $ 84 million]

Why? : The tank force of the South Korea is already super-higher than the North Korea and other vicinity countries. It also increase the military tension. The economic effect is also suspicious.

__Cluster Ammunition storage cost
: 80.8 billion won[ about $ 76 million]

Why? : The misfire rate of the cluster ammunition is higher than any other bullets. Furthermore about 98% of the causalities are the civilians. Because of that, the convention agreement against the production, use and handing-over of it was adapted in 2008 by 110 countries. It is anti-human itself.

__E-X (The Airborne Early Warning Controlling System) is the typical aggressive arm
: About 233 billion won [about $ 220 million]

Why? : The E-X is fundamentally for controlling the F-15K that carries the core mission in the pre-emptive strike against the North Korea and is for supporting the performance of the North East Asian theater operation by the United States air forces of Japan and Korea

__Joint Standoff weapon (JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) level
: About 5 billion won[ about $4.7 million]

Why? : The budget layout for the 400 Km range weapon, under the pretext of the North Korea nuclear weapon not only increases the unnecessary military tension but also has a function problem. That is why the executive rate for the budget allotted it was 0% despite the fact that its 2009 budget was [about] 11billion won.

__ Development for the aggressive helicopter has also been pointed out of its unnessecity and its suspicious economic effect


4. The Defense Council must reconsider the cut for the items that ignore people's will and are against peace in the Korean peninsula.

__Jeju Naval Base
: About 92.5 billion won [about $90 million]

Why?: Despite the opposition by the village people, the plan has been enforced to be driven. Review on its rationality is needed./ The business executive rate for the naval base for last 4 years has been 33.2% while the executive rate to the current budget cost preparation was only 18. 6% as of July, 2009./ Still, the 2010 budget on it is 2.56 times bigger than 2009.

_Expansion of the Mugeonri Military Training Field
: About 17.5 billion won [about $16million]

Why?: The business executive rate of the Mugeon-ri military training field for last 4years has been 52.2% while the executive rate to the current budget cost preparation was only 15.1% as of July, 2009/ The village people have suggested the rational counter-measure that guarantees people’s survival right while keeping the existing size of the field without expansion of it. To hear their opinion would be helpful to greatly reduce the defense budget. Talks with the village people are more needed.


* For more details (Korean)

http://www.spark946.org/bugsboard/index_young.php?BBS=nuri_1&action=viewForm&uid=982&page=1
[Current Agenda] At Least These should be Cut in 2010 Defense Budget
SPARK Magazine No. 90
Oh Hye-Ran, Chief of the Peace and Disarmament Team, SPARK
Dec. 14, 2009
2010년 국방예산 이것만은 삭감해야
::90호:::<현안> 2010년 국방예산 이것만은 삭감해야 ----- 평화군축팀장 오혜란
평화군축팀 오혜란
2009/12/1418:31

Text fwd: Defense burden-sharing funds will be used for the relocation of U.S. Secondary Infantry Division

*Image source/ caption*
Same as the article below

‘US Army Gen. Walter L. Sharp, commander of US forces in South Korea.’

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/345844.html
Defense burden-sharing funds will be used for the relocation of U.S. Secondary Infantry Division Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea:
“S. Korea will fund a significant portion of the costs of this realignment”
Posted on : Mar.24,2009 11:48 KST Modified on : Mar.24,2009 12:08 KST

It has been belatedly made known that U.S. Army General Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, announced that defense burden-sharing funds offered by South Korea “will fund a significant portion of the costs associated with this realignment” of the U.S. Army’s Second Infantry Division. In 2004 an agreement was reached between the two countries to consolidate U.S. military bases, relocate the main base outside of Seoul, and return land use to South Korea. The two governments, however, have since differed over how to share joint defense costs.

Sharp has stated, “The majority of costs associated with the implementation of YRP (Yongsan Relocation Plan) will be paid by the ROK (Republic of Korea)” in his report U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on March 19. However he did not specify how much South Korea will fund for the relocations.

If things go as Sharp says, South Korea will virtually fund a significant portion of costs for the relocation of the U.S. Second Infantry Division from camps north of Seoul to facilities in the Pyeongtaek area, in addition to costs for the relocation of U.S. bases in Yongsan, which South Korea has already agreed to fully fund. As a result, financial burdens for South Korea to redeploy U.S. troops on its soil are likely to sharply increase.

Further, the U.S. Congress has recently allocated US$125 million to build family housing units at the Pyeongtaek base, to which Sharp acknowledges as a “powerful message” to South Korea. Accordingly, there is some possibility that the U.S. in turn ask South Korea to contribute to this $1.4 billion fund which will be spent towards supplementing rent money for the families of U.S. Forces personnel living in Korea.

With regard to the Sharp’s remarks, an official at South Korea’s Ministry of Defense, said on March 23, “Talks between South Korea and the U.S. have been underway on costs and timing for the relocation of U.S. bases. No details have been decided.” The official added “The remarks by General Sharp reconfirmed a 2004 agreement by South Korea and the U.S. in which it was agreed that South Korea provides funds for the relocation of the Yongsan Army Garrison and the U.S. funds the relocation of the Second Infantry Division.” So far, the Ministry has said South Korea will not pay more than 5.5 trillion won ($3.98 billion) for the relocation of U.S. troops.

Senior Activist at the Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea Yoo Young-jae has said, “The U.S. will use 1,119.3 billion won of defense burden-sharing funds, which it has accumulated, as well as part of the annual defense burden-sharing funds worth more than 760 billion won to move its Second Infantry Division.” So, Yoo said, “It seems that South Korea already funds the relocation of the U.S. Second Infantry Division, a cost that the U.S. originally promised to pay.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

Who is afraid of the activists against the war exercise?

* Image Source*

1. Tongil News (meaning Unification News)
http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=83320

2, 3. Tongil News, photo by Cho, Sung-Bong
http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=83332

4, 5. Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea (SPARK) http://www.spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=s_news&action=viewForm&uid=2147&page=1

6. No base stories of Korea

* 3 & 6 are photos of the Ohyun-ri people and activists whose banner and signs say, "Stop the Expansion of the Mugeon-ri Military Training Fields"


According to the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) site, the progressive media, Tong-il news had an interesting article introducing the USFK site which told to its soldiers not to go near the War Museum where there was the activists’ rally against the Key/Resolve war exercise (March 9 to 20) on March 14.

About 300 students, workers and activists gathered for the rally against the Key Resolve/ Foal Eagle Exercise in front of the War museum, across the buildings of the Ministry of the National Defense, Republic of Korea, in Yongsan, Seoul on March 14.

The activists from the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK), the Jinbo Korea (Korean Alliance for Progressive Movement), the Democratic Labor party, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions were among them. They were joined by the Ohyun-ri people who have been holding the daily candle light vigil every night since last August against the expansion of the Mugeon-ri military training fields and Pan-Korean Committee against the Expansion of the Mugeon-ri Military Training Fields. In another place, in front of the U.S. embassy, seven university students were arrested while protesting against the Key resolve war exercise.


The activists said that the Key Resolve was not the annual defense training as told but obviously the preemptive strike training against the North Korea, which was for the 3rd stage of the Operation plan 5027: Occupation of Pyeongyang and regime collapse.


According to them, the Operation plan 5027 has 5 stages:

1st stage: Deployment of rapid deterrence force (FDO) from the United States

2nd stage: Destruction of the strategic targets of the North Korea

3rd stage: Forwarding to the North and massive landing operation

4th stage: Occupation of the North Korea and establishment of the military control

5th stage: Unification of Korea by force



The Key Resolve exercise is done largely in two parts

Exercise of the R(reception)-S(stage)-O(onward movement)-I(Integration) by the United States Force and exercise of the mobilization, support by the South Korean military force

* The North Korea has announced that they would prohibit the South Korean civil airplanes flying on the territory of the North Korea during the US-SK Key Resolve war exercise, March 9 to 20. It was one of the international news. Thanks to the activists, I have become to know why. The SK civil airplanes were also used in the war exercise. Some of them were carrying the U. S. soldiers participating in the war exercise, which has been never, so very unusual. The reason was seldom reported in any media.*


The activists claim that the war exercise violates:

1. Constitution of the Republic of Korea that promotes peaceful unification of Korea and international peace, denying the aggressive war

2. International law supported by the U.N. General Assembly on Dec. 14, 1974

3. Status Of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the United States and the South Korea, which abstains the forceful threat and supports the mutual negotiation.



- The Cost paid by the South Korea for the US-SK Joint Military Exercises and for the United States Forces of Korea-

* The original won was converted to the dollar unit: approximately 1$=1,500 won on March 14, 2009.

Content : Cost
Key Resolve(March), Eulji Focus(August) war exercise: $ 8.7 million/ 5 years (2001 to 2005)

Usage of the Key Resole mock war game center: $3.1 million/ a year (2008)

Various US-SK joint military exercise: Uncountable (Expected to be very high)

Defense budget share for the USFK (Special Measure Agreement: SMA): $0.47 billion/ a year

Import of the U.S. made weapons: $ 0.7 billion/ a year

Indirect cost such as the real estate: $ 6.7billion/ a year

* USFK Relocation : about $10 billion (Total cost is about $11billion)

* The South Koreans’ cost share for the USFK Relocation is 94.2%.

(Source: Democratic Labor Party, www.kdlp.org, published on March 13, 2009)

The activists compare the high cost above to the South Korean government’s oil cost which it has to support the North Korea following the negotiation of the six party talk. It’s oil support cost to the NK is merely $1.3 million to $10 million a year.

* Related site*

http://spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=s_news&action=viewForm&uid=2148&page=1
Photos: The people of Ohyun-ri cry, “Stop the War exercise!”

* Related blog *

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/03/text-fwd-north-koreas-satellite-versus.html
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Text fwd: North Korea’s Satellite versus US-ROK Joint Military Exercise

http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/03/go-away-stenis-nuclear-aircraft-carrier.html
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Go Away, Stennis, Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier!!!!!

Hillary Clinton, Start Dialogue With the North Korea Now!

* image caption*

The letters of the first photo say:

No! Missile Defense participation!, No! Proliferation Security Initiative!, No! US-SK joint military exercise! No! dispatch to Afghanistan!

Yes! Normalization of the US-NK relationship! Yes! Sign the Peace Agreement!



On February 17, 2009, The Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea(SPARK) had a 113th monthly Anti-US imperialism rally, in front of the US Embassy, Seoul, Korea.

The summary of its claims in the rally (tentative translation)

1. Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State visits Korea on Feb. 19-20, 2009. She said that “ If the North Korea is seriously ready to abolish the nuclear weapons completely, verifiably, the Obama government will be willing to normalize the relationship between the two countries, to replace the long time cease fire into the peace agreement, and to provide the North Korean people with the economic help of energy and others"…When the Lee Myung Park government’s harsh policy against the North Korea has led the SK-NK relationship into the closed alley, the change of the political current of the Korean peninsula through the improvement of the US-NK is desperately needed. Therefore we urge the president Obama and her to promote the dialogue with the North Korea, counter-mirroring the lessons of the policy of the Bush administration and to make a breakthrough for the normalization of the relationship between the NK-US relationship.

2. Otherwise, Walter Sharp, the commander of the United States of Forces of Korea(USFK) announced the foundation of the CAC(Combined Air Command) and the policy of the remaining of the USFK 8th Brigade. The both military departments of the both governments are promoting the highly integrated commanding system surpassing the current level of the US-SK joint command system through all areas and abilities, It means the USFK ‘s continuing domination of and meddling into the South Korean military, making meaningless of the decision of the transferring the wartime operational control (OPCON).

3. On January 15, the 8th Special Measure Agreement was submitted to the National Assembly through the official signing. If the assembly, like the government, permits the illegal and shameful increasement of the defense share budget for the relocation of the USFK 2nd brigade, the South Korean people would be the victim by the United States government. We want to expand the consciousness on this issue and to pressure the assembly so that it could actively question the whole issues.

4. It has recently first revealed that the U.S. Department of State has supported the huge amount of the fund to the so called “Human Rights organizations against the North Korea”. We strongly denounce the government of the United States of America who has added oppression against the North Korea with the issue of ‘human rights’ as weapon and who has laid the obstacle in the process for the peaceful normalization of the US-NK relationship.


* Related : A Joint Letter of the representatives of the civil society organizations in South Korea to the U.S. Secretary of State Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton, February 18, 2009

“We, the representatives of the civil society in South Korea,
congratulate Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton on assuming the post of Secretary of State, welcome her first official visit to Korea and take this opportunity to present our policy concerns and suggestions on the matters of U.S. policy orientation towards North Korea, the development of the Korea-U.S. alliance, and aspirations for peace in the Korean Peninsula.”


• Related Korean article:

http://spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=s_news&action=viewForm&uid=2113&page=1
113차 반미연대집회 " 힐러리 미 국무장관은 조속히 북미대화에 나서라"
- 2009년 2월 17일(화) 낮 12시, 광화문 미대사관 인근 KT 빌딩 앞 –


http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=82884


* Related englisg article:
http://www.spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=eng_3&action=viewForm&uid=25&page=1
Defense Ministry decides not to classify N. Korea as its ‘main enemy’
Designation as a ‘direct and serious threat’ is separate from a readiness posture or the recognition of a realistic threat


* Related blog: Space4Peace(Organizing Notes) READING THE TEA LEAVES
http://space4peace.blogspot.com/2009/02/reading-tea-leaves.html


* related article from the Ministry of the Defense Department, South Korea*
http://mnd.go.kr/mndEng/WhatsNew/RecentNews/


Status of OPCON transfer
Date 2009-02-16 16:16

Entire military working toward transfer under Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States are working toward transferring the wartime operational control (OPCON) of ROK military to the chairman of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as the two sides have agreed to transfer the OPCON on 17 April 2012. The OPCON of ROK forces is currently under control of the commander of ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC).

The agreement on the transfer of OPCON came at a ROK-U.S. summit in 2006 after the two countries agreed to speed up the process in a Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held in 2005. The sides have since agreed on the timing of the OPCON transfer and other details of the process through SCMs, ROK-U.S. defense ministerial talks and standing military committee meetings.

After the OPCON transfer, the CFC commander will be tasked to draw up a new single command system that will control both ROK and U.S. militaries, transforming the ROK-U.S. alliance.

Under the new single command system, there will be two separate combat theater command headquarters – the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff and the U.S. Korea Command – that will remain independent from each other, but will work together to form a joint defense system. A military consultation body will also be formed to ensure continuous military cooperation between the two sides.

Therefore, the disbandment of the ROK-U.S. CFC following the transfer of OPCON will not lead to the dismantlement of the ROK-U.S. joint defense system or any changes in the ROK-U.S. military alliance, according to Brig. Gen. Jeon In Beom, chief of the OPCON transfer office at the ROK JCS.

Toward this end, the countries are annually holding two meetings of the military committee attended by the chairman of the JCS and the U.S. commander of the ROK-U.S. CFC, as well as monthly meetings of high-level representatives that involve the JCS chief of strategies and the deputy commander of the CFC, while some 20 related offices from each sides are working closely together.

While pursuing all-out efforts to prepare for the transfer, the Joint Chiefs of Staff is holding quarterly reviews on 114 tasks in six fields. The six task fields are the establishment of theater combat command system, a ROK-U.S. military cooperation system, operational plans, command execution systems, joint exercises and basis for the transfer of OPCON.

For the establishment of a new theater combat command system, the JCS is working to restructure its organization. While creating new offices of general staff (J-1…J-7) to enable theater combat command by the JCS, the JCS is working to build a new command headquarters by 2011, as well as the headquarters for a ROK military consultation group in the Pyeongtaek Garrison, where the new U.S. Korea Command will be located.

For the establishment of a military cooperation system, the two countries have agreed to set up an Allied Military Command Center (AMCC), Combined Air Command (CAC), and various other command centers, such as CWIOC, COCG and IPS.

Also, many of the consultative bodies will be run even in peacetime while the sides will each dispatch a number of liaison officers to maintain close cooperation. The sides are also working to write up standard operating procedures for consultative bodies while also trying to set up detailed plans for their location, organization and operation. The structure and operation of intelligence and air consultation bodies will remain intact as they are under the current joint defense system.

For the establishment of a theater combat command execution system, the sides have agreed to establish a joint crisis management system, as well as combined operation plans, and to check the systems regularly through their annual Taegeuk exercise and Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise.

In addition, the sides are trying to develop an operating system for the joint combat command headquarters as well as a C4I system for the joint command. To this end, the ROK military is working to develop an Allied Korea Joint Command and Control System (AKJCCS) by 2011, which will then be linked to the U.S. military’s C4I system.

“The ROK JCS and the U.S. Forces Korea command are working together under close cooperation for the transfer of OPCON,” Brig. Gen. Jeon said. “We will work to focus all our efforts for the successful transfer of the OPCON, which will mark the second formation of our military.”

Pyeongtaek Since April 2007

1. 

The struggles going on_Pyeongtaek after April 2007:
Korean People say,
“RETURN! FARMER’S LAND!”,
“STOP THE EXPANSION OF CAMP HUMPHREYS, PYEONGTAEK!”


# The summary below much owes to the works of the media activists and to the literatures of the Korean Peace organizations-specially by the Pyeongtaek Peace Center and the South Gyeonggi branch of the solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea which have kept the monthly rally in front of Pyeongtaek station. I added my own personal research here.

*Image Source/credit and caption*

(1), (2)The two photos in a same rally on Nov. 29, 2008
"Let people do farming. Do not leave the lands of Daechu-ri and Dodu-ri idle!"
Monthly peace vigil in front of the Pyeongtaek station by the Pyeongtaek Peace Center (representative, Kang, Sang-Won)and South Gyeonggi branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea(SPARK, secretary Hyun, Ho-Hyun) of Korea on Nov. 29, 2008

The big banner in the first photo says, "People's bloody tax are being poured, stop the expansion construction of the Pyeongtaek US base! Too noisy to live, solve the noise damage by the US combat aircrafts!"

(3) Return Farmer’s Land

(4) Map Image source: South Gyeonggi-do branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea/ English title added

(5) Photo source: Kim, Do-Sung producer
The once golden rice fields of the Daechu-ri are now being idle and desolate

(6) Map of the Gyeonggi Province, English title added

(7) Pyeongtaek on Wikipedia

(8) In the photo on Nov. 19, 2008, Yoo, Young-Jae, the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) is explaining the estimated cost allotment by the US and SK governments for the relocation of the US bases into the expanded & constructed Pyeongtaek US bases in the South Korea. While the original agreement for the payment between the two governments was 45(US):55(SK) in 2002~2004, with the USFK abuse of the SMA, the whole cost by the South Koreans is now estimated as 94.2%(about $13~14 billion), while by the US, as 5.8%(about $0.75billion). Added with the civilian housing construction fee, the shared defense budget amounts to about $5 billion which contributed the dramatic burden increase by the South Koreans for the construction of the expanded Pyeongtaek base.

(9) The table drawn by the South Gyeonggi branch of the SPARK. Compare the yellow bar(US allotment 5.8%) and the red bar (SK allotment 94.2%), regarding the cost comparison mentioned above.

(10) We denounce the construction plan for the nuclear war protection facility in the Pyeongtaek US base by the KORCOM
English title added.

(11) Children of the Peace School with their own writings and drawings for the peaceful unification of Korea, City of Osan, nearby Pyeongtaek, Dec. 18, 2008.

1.Preface: The not-ending struggle of Pyeongtaek

My purpose to write the report on the struggle of Pyeongtaek since April 2007 is to let you know some issues which have mattered regarding the expansion construction of the Pyeongtaek base and to let you know the struggle is still going on.

One may remember, the fierce struggle by people, mostly rice farmers, in the villages of the Daechu-ri, Dodu-ri, against the triple expansion of the Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek, for the set up of the U. S. military hub in the North East Asia, which has an air base which includes parts of the city of Osan and a port nearby.

In 2003, the both governments of the US and SK agreed to relocate the US garrison in Yongsan, Seoul, the US 2nd Infantry Division in Ujeongbu & Dongdoochun in the north of Gyeongki province near the Demilitarized Zone and the Camp Page in Choonchun to Pyeongtaek, about 7,000 km(less than 2 hours by car) southward from Seoul. The whole plan was under the U.S. strategy change named “Strategic Flexibility” of which the core content meant the SK would be the rampant ground for the US military to invade the other countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Despite the total struggle for more than three years by all the village people and the Korean peace activists, and the strong global solidarity with it, the people could not but give up the land in April, 2007. The supposedly progressive SK government then had even deployed the military to oppress the struggle on May 4, 2006. On the day of April, 2007, it was a tremendous pain for all the Korean people, especially for the farmers, especially the Daechu-ri Farmers.

At the time, I was in the city of New York, United States. I could only know the news of the struggles of Daechu-ri via the peace activists websites and other news site. I just visited Daechu-ri once in 2005. So, I am not really qualified to render all the glory and pain of the people who threw down their bodies in the struggle. But I am so grateful of all the activists and artists at the time who had kept enormous and wonderful records on the struggle so that I could humbly refer to them in this summary.

Since I returned back to Korea in July, this year, the after-stories of the Pyeongtaek were less heard than in the past. It could have been a big trauma for all the people who directly involved in the struggle. Still, I found that the same activists are again devoting themselves in another struggles against the US bases in Korea and that there started the monthly rally in front of Pyeongtaek station this year by the activists who have lived in Pyeongtaek long time. And the statements, protests by various peace organizations surrounding the problematic issues of the Pyeongtaek construction have captured me. I apologize to many people whe have much involved during the struggle and whose stories I could not include enough here. And I so thank you.

The struggle was not over but keeps going on. Some were preparing the next phase of the comprehensive struggle such as the movement of Peace Agreement which demands the US troops out from the SK and end of the US-SK alliance(SPARK).


2. Under the US Strategic Change, Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek is triple -expanded, at the cost of expelled farmers.

What happened to the evicted village people in Daechu-ri? According to a Korean article on Oct. 28, 2008, about 42 household, 100 people in Daechu-ri have lived in the provisional housing complex together in Songwha3-ri, 3Km apart from Daechuri, of which the self-made sign of the village gate still reads “Daechu-ri” as if telling that they were still living in their home town in the heart. The more than three years collective struggle have made them closer one another. When the decision of leaving their hometown was done, they demanded the government that they could live together even after the eviction. So now, they are waiting for their next living complex the city of Pyeongtaek has been building for all of them.

Since they have no more rice fields to work on, they have made living by public labor which would only remind them the visceral fact that they had above all been farmers in the golden rice field. The rice field of the Deachuri had been of not only the highest quality in the South Korea but also of inspiring motive of art by many artists and poets in the South Korea. (For the videos recording the struggles and arts of Daechuri, from 2003 to 2007, please see the reference in the end).

It is unspeakable suffering for them to see their rice field enforced by the government being idle for two years now since the construction has been being delayed not only because of their long time protests but for the still going-on negotiation process between the United States Forces of korea(USFK) and the SK government, including the technical matters etc. The original completion plan for the base was 2008 but to be postponed to 2016. Now in 2008, even the basic construction of landfill could not begin because of all the high cost. The loss of farming three years up to now are estimated about $ 13 million(17 billion won). The farmers now trying to re-work on their former rice fields rather than seeing the fields idle.

Otherwise, not all the village people have the financial abilities to move to the new complex and the government has little alternative on this. Moreover, the provisional public labor job whose wage is about $650 (800,000 won)a month would be even dramatically reduced in this financial crisis.

According to the reporter of the article, one village person who had lived 12 years in Daechuri lamented, “Do you know how sad is to lose the hometown? The migrants from the north would still find their hometown once the Korea is unified. But we lost our hometown forever.”

3. The eventual plan is to establish the city of Pyeongtaek to be an international economical and military hub.

In November 12, 2008, the US force in Korea(USFK) had the celebration ceremony for the set up of the totally new enlarged Pyeongtaek base. The expanded base would accommodate 40,000 people including the 28,000 US soldiers and have luxury of the city life(?).

The video website of the Camp Humphreys of the Pyeongtaek, USFK now boasts how the grand plan for the base and its international city style life would be. It erases all the histories, cultures and struggles of the poor farmers whose blood-tear shedding has been completely ignored and invisible there. Look at the two videos below.

The whole expanded construction plan of the Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek base does not stop for itself. According to the ‘letter to the citizens of Pyeongtaek’ passed around to the people near the Pyeongtaek train station on Nov. 29, 2008, in the monthly rally by the Pyeongtaek Peace Center and South Gyeonggi branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, its eventual grand plan is to make the city of Pyeongtaek as the international military and economic hub by establishing the Koduck, the new international peace city, as a rear city of the Pyeongtaek USFK base. It would be done by adding 2827acre to the existing 3701acre of Songtan air base and Anjung base(K-6) and enforcing the 4366 acre of the Koduck town of the city of Pyeongtaek.

The enforcement plan of the land of the Goduck town has already anticipated another struggle between the people in the Goduck town and the SK government. The people are currently opposing the plan and organizing the meetings, See the photos in the bottom of the website, here.

4. “City for War, Pyeongtaek”? People oppose the railroad construction for the carriage of the military materials.

According to the same letter, the people in Segyo area of the city of Pyeongtaek and the Keumgok-ri of the Anjung county recently installed the banners opposing the railroad construction. The peace activists there say that, knowing that there was a pre-deployment training of the USFK marine on March 8, 2004(Yonhap news)and that the train crosses the US base in Anjung-ri, it is clear that the railroad would be used for carrying the military goods. They expect that the USFK would use the railroad to move to the Mugun-ri training site and Rodriguez military training site near the Demilitarized zone for military training and that it would carry the military materials during war time. The activists say it is why one of the reasons that the city of Pyeongtaek would be not a city for peace but a city for war once the railroad is constructed.

5.The Cost allotment for the relocation for the USFK and the SK government is estimated more than 1:15

The relocation plan had been agreed upon the Land Partnership Plan(LPP) between the US and SK governments in 2002(revised in 2004). When the original plan for the completion of the Pyeongtaek base was by 2008, the cost was estimated about $10 billion.

Basically, the USFK is an occupying force and there should be no reason that the people in the South Korea pay the cost for it. However, according to the LPP, it was agreed that while the SK paid the 55% of the total cost for the relocation of the Yongsan garrison, the US would pay the 45% for the relocation of the 2nd Infantry division etc.

But in reality, the Korean peace activists have noticed that the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) reported on Oct. 9 that the US would pay only $ 0.75 billion. while the SK would pay about $13~ $14 billion of which the high amount would contribute to improvement of the C4I, to accommodation of luxury housing & facilities for the US soldiers and their families and to transformation of the whole base as the semi-permanent spearhead military base. As Wooksik Cheong, the representative of the Peace Network wrote, the construction cost of the Pyeongtaek base by the SK government and the US government is compared to higher than 1:15, regarding the completion year of 2016. In reference, the recent annual SK defense budget in 2009 has been about $20 billion. Above all, the whole and detailed blueprint was heard even not to be completed.

What happened? One of the main issue by the Korean peace organizations regarding the construction of the Pyeongtaek base is the USFK abuse of the Special Measure Agreement(SMA) between the US government & SK government and in the obligatory attitude of the SK government which tries to cover the illegality and immorality of the abuse by the USFK.

The SMA, first set in 1989 by the US government demands the SK government to share the budget for the US defense fee in the SK including the maintenance of the US bases in Korea. It has actively met by the SK government since 1991. The negotiation is done every 3 to 5 years. The budget share by the SK government actually comes from the taxes of the South Korean people. In 2007, it was disclosed that since 2000, the USFK had been illegally accumulated about $1billion, by saving the unused fee of the defense share budget given by the SK government to the Community bank(“invited contractor”) inside the USFK base, then reinvested 650 billion won(about $500million ) of it to the Bank of America, Seoul branch, gaining the interest of about $ 100million. Moreover, it is suspected of evasion of income tax of about $ 10million. As the USFK admitted, the community Bank is not owned by the US Fed but is a civilian commercial bank so it is the duty of the USFK to pay the tax to the SK National Tax Service. And the SK NTS illegally exempted the USFK from its tax duty. Currently the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea has protested against the NTS’s cover of it and the Center for Peace and Disarmament, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy has submitted the letter demanding full inspection of the abuse of the SMA to The Board of Audit And Inspection of Korea.

On Nov. 19, the concerned civil organizations and individuals from various fields of peace, religion, trade union, peasant, law, woman etc. had the common statement on the almost final agreement between the both governments on the Special Measure Agreement. Right now, in this financial crisis in which many Korean workers are laid off, the unimaginable unjust cost burden for the South Koreans and the immorality of the USFK can be read as part of how the US imperial strategy would keep its supremacy at the cost of people’s sacrifice globally.

6. We denounce the construction plan for the nuclear war protection facility in the Pyeongtaek US base by the KORCOM.

A Korean newpaper, Kyunghyang reported on Nov. 1, 2008 that the KORCOM, the battle command unit of the USFK was planning to have a nuclear war protection facility in the Pyeongtaek US base and that the relocation cost would be increased about $0.8 billion(1 trillion won) as the changing layout of the plan.

According to the newspaper, the three stories underground bunker was said to be built against any chemical or nuclear attck from the North Korea. Quoting the military personal on Oct. 30., it said that, “If the KORCOM facility is completed, it would be the US’s third facility in the world which could survive in case of nuclear war” and that “There would be no other US military facilities like KORKOM except for the NORAD and the parts of the White House.” The bunker would be laid out for 1,000 personnel to survive for more than a month and would have not only the most advanced command control system (C4I) but also dinner room, shower room and recreation facility. The plan is even criticized inside the SK military and the USFK in the sense that it assumed the failure of the preemptive nuclear attack against the NK and that it did not make sense if only 1,000 could survive in the nuclear war.

If the plan is realized, the charge of the SK for the special facilities would be increased by 20%. The new plan was not in the original agreement between the USFK and the SK government in the beginning.

The peace activists in Korea, initiated by the SPARK, reminding the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review(NPR) in 2002 and the Quadrennial Defense Plan(QDR) in 2006 which opened the possibility of the nuclear preemptive strike against the NK, denounced the plan and had a protest on Nov.3, 2008 in front of the USFK Yongsan garrison in Seoul. The SPARK statement pointed out that 1. the plan aimed to realize the material condition for the nuclear preemptive strike against the North Korea: 2. the plan would seriously threaten the peace of the Korean peninsula and the North East Asia: 3. the plan would make the basis for the permanent occupation of the USFK in Korea and for the continued control of operational control of the SK military.

We could not hear any subsequent articles related to it but would watch for it.

7. Noise of air planes that has already affected people’s health.

In a same news letter, it quotes the survey result by the medical school of the Dankook University in 2005. The survey says there have been high illness rate of high blood pressure, depression, anxiety hindrance, insomnia, heart’s blood disease, artery hardening, self-closing symptom etc among the people nearby the Pyeongtaek US base. It also says there were lots of low grades in the Children’s intelligence test and many symptoms of depression, attentiveness deprivation & excess behavior hindrance in the same test. The farmers were said to have stress by air plane noise, which affects their harvest amount.

8. Environmental damage

The issue of environmental damage by the US bases in the South Korea has actually been one of the big issues, especially in recent years. Many Korean organizations have concerned about it and once all the documents are collected, its content itself would be huge. I can not summarize it since my knowledge about it is incredibly superficial. I hope I can find a good material about it, which I can forward you sometime. But regarding Pyeongtaek. you may look at the article in the link.

9. Peace Agreement, as a possible alternative vision

Pleae look at the article for more reference,"The Korean people's statement to the four nations of the Korean Peninsula Peace Forum relating to the peace agreement March 24, 2008" The SPARK has also a video(Korean) on the urgency of the Peace Agreement in which 'the end of the US-SK alliance' and 'US troops out of Korea' are demanded as the basic condition.

* For more reference( articles and videos) *

English articles

___Strategic Change on the Korean Peninsula and North East Asia: Transformation of U.S. Military Strategy After 9-11. by Pan-S.Korea Solution against U.S. base expantion in Pyeongtaek

__Realignment of U.S. Forces in Korea and Changes in US-ROK Military Alliance(Oct 2008)– Their Effects on People and Strategic Responses by the National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S. Troops in Korea

_ The Korean people's statement to the four nations of the Korean Peninsula Peace Forum relating to the peace agreement March 24, 2008

_ S. Korea, US Resume Talks on Troop Cost By Jung Sung-ki Staff Reporter

- [Editorial] No defense for unequal shares, Hankyoreh, Nov.24, 2008

_ Korea Times articles on Pyeongtaek

_US Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on Oct. 9, 2008

__Missile Defense and the Two Koreas by Cheong Wooksik(the Representative of Peace Network) January 24, 2005

__ [Column] The month of May in Pyeongtaek and President Roh-Moo Hyun’s “great failure”, Park, Jung-Eun, Center for Peace and Disarmament, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy(PSPD), 2006/05/09

__USFK’s Pyeongtaek relocation rescheduled for 2019 2008/10/25
*note: The completion plan was recently rescheduled by 2106.

__Let the water flow in Pyeongtaek! Date 2006/05/16

__Seoul to pay 9 trillion won for U.S. forces base in Pyeongtaek, The total expenditure is expected to jump 3.3 trillion in one year to 12 to 13 trillion Date 2008/06/17

__AAFES gas station to open soon at Camp Humphreys _Stars and Stripes 12/09/08

_On-base fuel leak causes farmers concern By Teri Weaver and Hwang Hae-rym, Stars and Stripes, Pacific edition, Saturday, December 6, 2008

_ Camp Humphreys

_ Pyeongtaek on Wikipedia

• note: some contents in the Wikipedia reflect the conservative view. One of the referenced media for the site, ‘Chosun’ is very rightwing news paper in the South Korea, which has fiercely denounced by many South Korean People and peace activists. Do not believe all the details in the content of the site.

_ http://kalaniosullivan.com/OsanAB/OsanSongtane2a.html ( forward by Bruce Gagnon)

English/ English subtitled videos

__ Last days of Daechu-ri(4min.)

__Get our fields back, that is peace 빼앗긴 들녘을 되찾는 것, 그것이 평화

*note: As in video, the cost burden for the South Koreans for the construction of the base was said about $5.5 billion in 2006 as in the original plan. Now it is expected about $ 13~14 billion(94.2% of the total cost) The video says, "With $4.7 billion, free medical service could be provided to all Korean people." The video was translated by the Seoul Radical Language Exchange.

__Struggle For Land (Part 1, 8min.)

__Struggle For Land (part 2. 7min.)

__Help Stop US Military Base Expansion in pyeongtaek

* note: Father Mun Jyeong Hyeon has also been active in the struggles of opposing Jeju naval air base and the expansion of the Kunsan U.S.A air base. He stays in Kunsan with his Peace Nomad friends who had lived in the Daechu-ri during the Pyeongtaek struggle. He has become a videographer himself, too.

__Strength of Our Candle produced by the Normad Peace
*note: The English subtitle comes soon if you can wait for. It is a little out of synch. But it is a valuable collection of the people’s voice themselves.

Propaganda videos of Pyeongtaek by the USAG-Humphreys and City of Pyeongtaek

__USFK Relocation to Camp Humphreys Pyeongtaek(12min.)

• note: Around 5:19, it says that the SK government is planning to spend about $19billion for the regional development of Pyeongtaek to make it an international hub. In reference, the recent annual defense budget of the SK was about $18~20 billion.

__USFK Relocation to Camp Humphreys Pyeongtaek(4 min.)

Propaganda videos of Pyeongtaek by the USAG-Humphreys

_USAG Humphreys Groundbreaking Ceremony

_TOUR OF DUTY (Pt. 1) USAG-Humphreys - U.S. Army in Korea - Camp Humphreys - Newcomer Video

_TOUR OF DUTY (Pt. 2) USAG-Humphreys - U.S. Army in Korea - Camp Humphreys - Newcomer Video

* note: The whole cost for the construction would be not $8.5 billion but near & 13 to 14 billion. And while the U.S. pays about $0.75 billion, the other charge is now forced to be paid by the SK taxes. As Wooksik Cheong summarized in one of his Korean analysis, the cost rate for the construction between the US and the SK would be 1:15. The entire peace organizations in Korea, including the SPARK, The PSPD and the Peace Network are against this. Even in right wing dominated SK congress, it is now in dispute

_TOUR OF DUTY (Pt. 3) USAG-Humphreys - U.S. Army in Korea - Camp Humphreys - Newcomer Video

*note: Part 1 is about the general introduction: Korean war and plan of the three-times expanded Camp Hunphreys. Part 2 is about the detailed plan of the luxury facilities for the GIs and their family. Part 3 is about the DMZ tour and the introduction of the Korean culture for the new GIs in the SK. I wonder about the opening music in the videos. I don't think it is the Korean. I guess they put the music they think the 'oriental'.

Korean articles

Appealing letter to the citizens in Pyeongtaek by the Pyeongtaek Peace Center and the South Gyeonggi branch of the solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, in the monthly rally, Nov. 29, 2008

Pyeongtaek Peace Center Website

South Gyeonggi branch of the solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea Website

Pyeongtaek Peace Center news letter, 평택평화센터 기획기사3_평택시민신문2008-10-20

Walter Sharp, KORKOM Commander says, "An individual of the USFK would stay the 36 months at the longest" 샤프 한·미연합사령관 “주한미군 최장 36개월 근무”　2008-12-11

"Stop the 20th SPI meeting! Stop the passing of the USFK reloaction fee!"[12/9]"20차 SPI회의 중단, 미군기지이전비용 전가 중단하라!" _111차 반미연대집회

South Gyeonggi branch of the SPARK annual meeting on Dec.18, “Yes, Peace Agreement, Good-by, USFK)

Monthly rally of Pyeongtaek, Nov. 29, 2008(sponsored by the Pyeongtaek Peace Center and the South-Gyeonggi-do branch of the SPARK)

Monthly rally of Pyeongtaek, Nov. 29, 2008(sponsored by the Pyeongtaek Peace Center and the South-Gyeonggi-do branch of the SPARK)

Village people oppose the hearing for the city plan for the internationalization of the Goduck, the would-be-expanded area of the city of Pyeongtaek 고덕(평택) 국제화 계획 지구 비대위

[ Collective statement from all fields] Stop the illegal abuse of the SMA[각계선언] 국민고통 외면하고 방위비분담금 증액할 때인가 , 2008-11-19

Collective statement from all fields] Stop the illegal abuse of the SMA[11/19] 각계인사 125인, “방위비분담금 불법전용 중단” 선언 2008/11/21

Daechuri , after the eviction 오현리의 미래, 대추리 그후 [한겨레 시사다큐 ‘한큐’]③ 자기땅을 ‘사격’당한 사람들 <2부> 임시거처에 공공근로로 생계, 그나마 곧 ‘끝’ 가을걷이 들녘 보며 “가슴이 저리고 미어져”

We denounce the construction plan for the nuclear war protection facility in the Pyeongtaek US base by the KORCOM, at the cost of the South Korean taxes-SPARK press interview and rally, 11/03/08
한국민 등골 핵전쟁 기지 만들려는 주한미군 나가라

In the ‘non-nuclear’ mood, the cost for the nuclear war protection facility would be $0.8billion? The SPARK says the concern that the US military domination would be long term…increasing question on the return of the war time operational control '비핵' 무드 속 '핵전쟁 방호시설' 공사비에 1조 원? 평통사 "美, 군사적 지배 장기화"...전작권 환수에도 물음표 가중 2008년 11월 03일 (월) 고성진 기자 kolong81@tongilnews.com

Kyeonghyang article: The SPARK protests against the KORKOM plan.평통사, "미군 핵전쟁 대비 시설, 동북아 평화 위협" [경향닷컴] 날 짜 2008/11/04

The SPARK statement to demand the stop of the the construction plan for the nuclear war protection facility in the Pyeongtaek US base by the KORCOM미국 한국전투사령부(KORCOM) 핵전쟁 대비 건설 계획 중단 촉구 기자회견문 2008/11/0311:46

美코콤 ‘핵전쟁 대비’ 건설… 공사비만 1조원 과잉공사 논란 [경향] 2008/11/0110:11

Korean videos

Peace Agreement Movement-Oh, Peace
평화협정실현 운동 - 오 평화 (727 한마당 상영 수정본)

Daechuri , after the eviction 오현리의 미래, 대추리 그후 [한겨레 시사다큐 ‘한큐’]③ 자기땅을 ‘사격’당한 사람들 <2부> 임시거처에 공공근로로 생계, 그나마 곧 ‘끝’ 가을걷이 들녘 보며 “가슴이 저리고 미어져” 김도성 피디

Have the plan for the village people damaged by the vericles for the landfil[영상]성토차량으로 인한 주민피해대책을 강구하라 평택평화센터 | 2008·08·11 16:15

The Struggle of Daechu-ri 대추리의 전쟁 (Korean) : 60 min.

*note: The video was famous because its screening was blocked by the former SK government. But it was heard to have been screened in the international film festivals. I hope I can find its English subtitled video.

Daechu-ri, Pyeongtaek(produced by NewsCham)평택 대추리 참세상 제작 영상: 6min.

평택 대추리 참세상제작영상! (6min.)

평택 대추리 어린이날의 비극1-1 The tragedy of the Children Day(The SK military and police violently oppresses the people’s resistance on May 4, 2006)

평택 대추리 달맞이 영상!!!

The 200th, Last broadcasting of the 'Deulsori'[meaning 'field voice/sound'], Good-bye, Daechu-ri, April 24, 2007 들소리 마지막 방송-안녕. 대추리. 2007 년 4 월 24일