Text Fwd: USFK Tyranny in Pyeongtaek; Entertainment businesses subject to armed crackdowns by US military police

http://english.khan.co.kr/khan_art_view.html?artid=201105111228037&code=710100
USFK Tyranny in Pyeongtaek; Entertainment businesses subject to armed crackdowns by US military police
Posted on : 2011-05-11

Burwell Bell, Commander of US Forces Korea, delivers a speech marking the launching of construction for Pyongtaek military base for US Forces Korea at Daichuri, Pangsungup, Pyongtaek, Gyeonggi Province on Nov 13, 2007. US Forces Korea stationed in Pyongtaek is effectively exercising "the right to crack down on and punish" foreigner-only entertainment businesses, thus igniting Koreans' criticisms of their "tyranny." (File photo by Yonhap News, Caption by Seol Wontai )

It has emerged that United States Forces Korea (USFK) in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, is effectively exercising “the right to crack down on and punish” foreigner-only entertainment businesses.

USFK is exercising thorough control in the fields of health, hygiene and public order. This includes entry by armed US military police into entertainment establishments and demands that employees present proof of identity.

Based on crackdowns, USFK is indiscriminately declaring “off limits” measures that effectively amount to suspension of business. According to entertainment businesses, 33 out of 40 establishments have been declared off limits or received warnings in the last five years.

Crackdowns by armed US military police

News of crackdowns was first revealed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun on May 10, after the newspaper acquired “an official document sent by the commander of ‘Base X’ of the Unites States Air Force in Pyeongtaek to the owner of a nearby entertainment business, by the name of Choe.”

The document states that USFK declared Choe’s business “off limits” to USFK personnel twice: once in June 2009 and once on January 21 this year. The reason stated for this was that the establishment allowed “bar fines” (female employees who receive alcohol from USFK personnel) and employed foreign workers in possession of “E-6” (entertainment) visas.

USFK stated in the documents that [a foreign female employee at the establishment] had refused to present her ID when requested to do so by patrolling USFK military police personnel, and that, having considered the circumstances, USFK had concluded that the establishment was in violation of the agreement not to employ Filipino women. This, the document said, was USFK’s reason for declaring the bar “indefinitely” off-limits.

This is not an isolated case. According to Pyeongtaek people’s Solidarity for participation and Autonomy (PPSPA) and the Songtan branch of the Korea Foreigner Tourist Association, the US military has declared 33 out of 40 US military-only establishments off limits since 2005.

From 1992, USFK controlled such businesses arbitrarily, according to a type of agreement reached with Pyeongtaek city authorities. When official documents upon which “off limits” measures were based were made public and caused a scandal in 2005 (as reported on the front page of the Kyunghyang Shinmun on March 31, 2005), this agreement was abolished.


Regulations not contained within SOFA

Even since then, however, USFK has been running a system of parallel crackdowns and punishment of businesses close to bases, by communicating regulations and guidelines orally and sending armed military police on patrol.

Under the pretext of protecting its own citizens, USFK has been creating irrational regulations that are not found within the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Korea and the US, and arbitrarily exercising what amounts to a right to carry out crackdowns.

Entertainment establishments have protested, saying, “For businesses that operate exclusively for foreigners, being declared ‘off-limits’ is a punishment equivalent to suspension of business. There are 500 more establishments that would effectively go out of business if US military personnel did not visit them.”

Despite the circumstances, however, Pyeongtaek city authorities are refusing to consider remedial measures or even look into what disadvantages are being incurred by the businesses in question. An association for Korea-US cooperation, created to aid conflict resolution between the two countries and headed jointly by the mayor of Pyeongtaek and the local USFK base commander, is also proving ineffective.

Civic groups including the PPSPA plan to hold a press conference on May 12 in front of the main gate of Base X and call for the off limits measures to be lifted. (News, The Kyunghyang Daily News. May 11, 2011. Reported by Choi In-jin; Translated by Ben Jackson. )

[Korea MND News Catch Up] Military aims to boost defense/ The number of U.S. troops will be maintained / Defense Industry 2020 follow-up plan unveiled

Ministry of National Defense, ROK
Recent News

http://www.mnd.go.kr/mndEng_2009/WhatsNew/RecentNews/index.jsp

____________________________________________________
Image: Attendants listen to presentations from experts during the third 'Defense Green Technology Symposium' which was held on April 26 at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul.

NO 756
2011-05-02 15:07
Military aims to boost defense 'green' technologyApril 27, 2011

The third 'Defense Green Technology Symposium,' organized by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) aimed at sharing current status of defense green technology development and its research achievements, was held on April 26 at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul.

Some 100 experts from the military, government, academia and industry attended the symposium, which was sponsored by the Presidential Committee on Green Growth. The symposium begin with an opening address delivered by the Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Young-geol. Then Noh Dae-lae, Commissioner of Defense Acquisition ProgramAdministration, delivered welcoming speech.

In a topic presentation session, Kim Hwa-seok, an official responsible for managing military force and resources at the Defense Ministry, and three experts of ADD, presented subjects related to green technology development.

Kim, who made presentation under the title 'Direction for Implementing Defense Green Growth Policy,' explained the necessity of Defense Green Growth by giving examples of worldwide environment changes, special characteristics of defense technology development and aspects of future warfare. Also he introduced measures for successful development of Defense Green Growth, including training troops the importance of green growth and change their lifestyle living with green growth, establishing green growth promotion system in the military and adopting advanced green growth know-hows from other countries.

Choi Chang from ADD said that the agency is in the middle of studying overall scope of the flow of green energy source in order to obtain eco-friendly and green energy technology as well as to prepare of energy security. Choi added that people can anticipate highly on a result of defense eco-friendly energy research since the result will attain the world level. Future arms trade market can also be boosted as a result of the research, Choi said.

Another expert from ADD Kim Dong-hyeon presented the work on developing future weapon system based on taking advantage of low carbon future energy. For instance, hybrid combat vehicle, new energy resource warship and high-altitude unmanned surveillance plane, said Kim.

Expert Lee Yun-hui of ADD revealed the process and current status of building military management technology based on 'Modeling and Simulation' system. In addition, explained many ripple effects that could be caused by an experiment using Modeling and Simulation system, including reinforcing combat capabilities by reducing energy in various battle fields and lessen environment damage as well as danger of leaking toxic waste.

In particular, ADD drew attendants' attention at the symposium by exhibiting eight research achievements, including eco-friendly fuel cell and high mobility hybrid propel system for special-purpose military vehicles.

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The number of U.S. troops will be maintained : Ministry
2011-04-25 16:32
April 19, 2011

The Ministry of National Defense of South Korea said on April 18 that the number of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) troops maintains at 28,500.

The ministry's announcement was released in response to some media reports claiming that the number of U.S. troops here reduced to 26,305 in 2009 based on the Base Structure Report by the Pentagon. The ministry also said that there is no change in the number of U.S. troops in South Korea according to a status report of USFK military capabilities.

"The number written on the Pentagon's report is not an actual number of troops but total figure that is estimated based on a scale of facilities they can be accommodated," said a defense official at the ministry.

Even though the number of South Korean and U.S. troops here have been steadily decreased since 2000, Seoul and Washington had agreed during a summit talks between leaders of two countries in April 2008 to maintain the number of U.S. troops in South Korea at 28,500 under a decision that joint defense capabilities should not be weakened when North Korea keep on making military provocations.

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Image : Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, talks to reporters at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul on April 20.

NO 753
2011-04-25 16:33
USFK is committed to defending Korean Peninsula
April 21, 2011

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is taking priority of defending South Korea and it will also participate in more multinational military exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, going beyond its duties to defend the Korean Peninsula.

Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, talks to reporters at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul on April 20.

In a press briefing at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul on April 20, Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army (EUSA), said there will be no change of the number of U.S. forces here as agreed on by Seoul and Washington. Johnson stressed that the USFK is always taking top priority of defending South Korea.

He also said that about 500 members of the 2nd U.S. Infantry Division had joined joint military exercise in the Philippines earlier this month. In addition, he claimed the USFK has secured transport so troops can immediately return to South Korea from overseas missions in case of emergencies on the peninsula.

"We can strengthen combat capabilities as well as readiness posture if the USFK take part in overseas drills and that will benefit South Korea's security," Johnson said. "Maintaining readiness posture to prepare for actual battles is the reason for the presence of the USFK here."

Following deployment of latest-model M1 tanks, the USFK plans to introduce newest armored combat vehicles this summer, he said.

In response to questions related to the wartime operational control transfer from U.S. to South Korea, he said that even after the transition reinforcement capabilities of U.S. forces to the peninsula in emergencies will be maintained as it is. The commander said he will not make security vacuum while moving U.S. bases from Seoul to Pyeongtaek.

In a separate briefing, an officer under the EUSA said that currently EUSA is experiencing its structure system change from Army Service Component Command to Field Army. The EUSA is focus on combat mission while most of administrative and logistics duties will be transferred to the U.S. Army Pacific.

The officer also said that EUSA is in process of altering work system of U.S. soldiers to serve in South Korea for three years accompanying their families rather than to serve only one year without bringing their families.

"With this change of work system, safe working environment will be created by improving living condition of U.S. soldiers," the officer said. "It is going to strengthen readiness posture as well."

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Recent News NO 752
Defense Industry 2020 follow-up plan unveiled
2011-04-25 16:30
April 18, 2011

Eleven defense industry projects, including creating Korean Fighter Experimental (KFX) and Korea Attack Helicopter (KAH) programs, will be handed over to private sector from state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD).

ADD is planning to increase the number experts to focus on developing Korean-made weapon system and give weight to creating strategic weapon system as well as fundamental core technology.

model fighter jet that is expected to be made from Korean Fighter Experimental program
The Ministry of National Defense and Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the outline of follow-up measures for 'Defense Industry 2020' plan on April 15.

The follow-up plan was first reported to the President Lee Myung-bak in the Presidential Council for Future and Vision in October last year. Since then for six months, defense experts from ministries, government agencies, defense firms and academic field work on details of the plan and reported the final measures during a meeting organized by Yim Tae-hee, Blue House chief of staff.

In particular, the Defense Ministry and DAPA prospects of earning economic benefit worth $4 billion through arms trade and create some 25,000 job positions in case follow-up plan proceed without trouble.

Under the plan, private sectors are expected to have high control over researching and developing general strategic weapon system. After reviewing 13 defense projects responsible for ADD since October last year, DAPA decided to transfer 11 projects to private sector. Among them, six projects, including making new Nuclear-biological-chemical Reconnaissance vehicles, radio sets for small units and target measuring device for Air Control jet, are going to be handed over right away. FTX and KAH programs will be transferred later.

In addition, other projects such as developing new unmanned aerial vehicles to be used in reconnaissance operations, military satellite communication system and anti-artillery detect radar are scheduled to be transferred to private firms but ADD is considering complementary measures for technical parts that private sectors are lack of.

Basically, all defense projects related to developing general strategic weapon system are going to be controlled by private firms from 2012, according to the Defense Industry 2020 follow-up plan. The plan expects to raise the ratio of private firms involved in defense weapon system from current 60 percent to 75 percent.

In order to ease the pressure of project management after transfer, DAPA is planning to strengthen professionalism by increasing the number of experts in the management team.
The follow-up measure said that ADD is going to reinforce professionalism in basic science field by recruiting more experts up to 40 percent from current 16 percent.

Also the number of experts with doctoral degree will be increased up to 60 percent from current 39 percent. In other words, projects aimed at developing strategic weapon system and basic core technology are slated to be more focused than creating general weapon system. ADD is expected to expand the ratio of its own research to 60 percent from current 13.5 percent. So far, ADD has been relying on private contractors for developing weapon system due to heavy burden on the work. The proportion of its own research of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information and Korea Institute of Science and Technology accounts for 96, 97 and 92 percent, respectively.

A special team responsible for managing the use of new weapon system will be created within the Joint Chiefs of Staff in order to contribute in improve its capabilities and domestic industry. The team is going to be consisted of experts from defense industry and economic industry as well as specialists recommended by DAPA.

Under the follow-up plan, a military power review committee which has been operated since December last year will design mission, organization structure and management method so that the new plan could be put into practice systematically and efficiently. The committee will also first review the operation of 21 short- and medium-term defense projects, including K-2 tank, K-11 rifle, new multiple rocket launcher, Future Frigate Experimental and high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles.
In order to foster globally competitive defense firms, DAPA and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy will beef up professionalism of defense firms by promoting investment on research and development until July this year, reforming production cost system and improving potential small and medium companies.

Moreover, the government will push for revising a law related to defense reform within this year so that it can establish mandatory plan of using private resources. By August this year, the government is planning to select sectors that can be easily privatized to take advantage of their resources and set up yearly plan.

Text Fwd: Sen. Jim Webb to Visit Korea, Vietnam, Japan and Guam

* Text fwd from Martha Duenas and Jean Downey on April 27, 2011

The State Column
http://www.thestatecolumn.com/state_politics/virginia/sen-jim-webb-to-visit-korea-vietnam-japan-and-guam/

Sen. Jim Webb to Visit Korea, Vietnam, Japan and GuamThe State Column | Staff | Sunday, April 17, 2011

U.S. Senator Jim Webb, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee and member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, will visit the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and Guam April 16-29. Senator Webb is scheduled to hold meetings with government officials, U.S. diplomats and military commanders, and business leaders.

In Korea, Senator Webb will review the security situation on the Korean peninsula and reaffirm his support for passage of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

(ONLY GOOD NEWS) In Vietnam, Senator Webb will address water security issues in Southeast Asia and continue advocating a multilateral approach to avert the devastating consequences of proposed mainstream dams along the Mekong River. If completed, these dams could fundamentally change the world’s 12th longest river and place at risk the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s “rice bowl” and the world’s richest inland fishery.

Senator Webb is returning to Japan for the second time this year after keynoting the New Shimoda Conference in February. On this trip, he is traveling to Tokyo with Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, to reaffirm the critical importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance and express condolences to the Japanese people and government following last month’s earthquake and tsunami.

Senator Webb will also visit Okinawa, Guam and Tinian, as a follow-on to visits he made last year, in order to meet with local officials and American military leaders responsible for the proposed realignment of U.S. military bases in the Pacific region.

Senator Webb has enjoyed a continuous personal involvement in Asian and Pacific affairs that long predates his time in the Senate. In addition to his more recent visits as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has worked and traveled throughout this vast region for more than four decades—as a Marine Corps officer, a defense planner, a journalist, a novelist, a senior official in the Department of Defense, and as a business consultant.

The Chamorro activists and Koohan Paik (who worked at Pacific News Center as a reporter) said not to believe its reports, which slanted to pro-build-up.

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See also

Marianas Variety
http://www.mvguam.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17773:us-senators-buildup-not-set-in-stone&catid=59:frontpagenews
US Senators: 'Buildup Not Set in Stone'
Therese Hart
Tuesday, April 25, 2011

KUAM News
http://www.kuam.com/story/14512570/2011/04/26/us-senators-discuss-buildup
US Senators Discuss BuildupNick Delgado
Apr 26, 2011 1:41 AM PDT

Text Fwd: 'USFK ready to fight when called'

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/04/113_85599.html
'USFK ready to fight when called'Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson
By Lee Tae-hoon
04-20-2011 19:29


The commander of the U.S. 8th Army said Wednesday that the transfer of wartime operational control and troop relocation plans won’t affect his troops’ commitment to defend its ally.

In a media briefing, Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, who oversees some 20,000 of the 28,500 American troops stationed in South Korea, reaffirmed that his troops will always be fully prepared to counter possible attacks by North Korea.

He claimed that the relocation of U.S. bases and facilities to Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province will not create a security vacuum or make South more vulnerable to armed provocation.

“The plan for the move to Pyeongtaek is based on ensuring we have no gaps in our ability to execute the mission,” Johnson said.

The three-star general said the relocation will rather help his troops be better prepared to “fight when called on, and helps strength the alliance” between South Korea and the United States.

“We’ll take every opportunity to rehearse those movements to ensure our plans account for those movements and make sure the first consideration of every move is whether we are able to execute the mission,” he said.

He argued that his troops’ military drills outside the Korean Peninsula are coordinated closely with the South Korean military to ensure there are plans to bring that force back in the event they are needed here.

“So plans are made and transportation is available to make sure if it is necessary to bring them here quickly,” Johnson said.

The U.S. general denied media reports that the number of U.S. troops in the South has dropped more than 2,000 from 28,500.

“At any point in time, due to individual rotations, that number fluctuates in small measures,” he said, underlining that there has been no major reduction in the troop number.

He said individuals with specific skills have been dispatched to Iraq and Afghanistan, but those with “equal skills have been designated to backfill us to ensure we have capability we need here.”

Johnson added that his Army has just completed taking possession of the U.S. Army's newest M1 battle tanks and will deploy improved infantry fighting vehicles later this year.

Asked if there are any immediate signs of provocations from North Korea, including a nuclear or missile test, he said, “I’m not tracking anything out of the ordinary right now, but we stay very vigilant and are watching very closely.”

He noted that U.S. forces are observing forces in North Korea very closely in conjunction with the intelligence capabilities of the South Korean military.

leeth@koreatimes.co.kr
____________________________

See also


http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2011/04/20/49/0301000000AEN20110420007300315F.HTML
USFK monitoring military movements in N. Korea 'very closely': commander2011/04/20 15:27 KST


http://www.tongilnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=94418
미 8군 사령관 "전작권 전환 후에도 미군 임무 변화 없다"
"미8군, 야전군으로 임무 변경.. 해외 군사연습 참가 횟수 늘 것"

Photos Fwd:[SPARK] Stop the illegal and unjust US base relocation business!

All the image sources: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, March 30, 2011
평화와 통일을 여는 사람들, 2011년 3월 30일(아래 링크 클릭)

http://www.spark946.org/bugsboard/index.php?BBS=s_news&action=viewForm&uid=2750&page=1
Urgent press interview related to the hearing on the business promotion of the US base relocation:

Stop the illegal and unjust US base relocation business for which South Korea is burdened with 16 trillion won!

1pm, March 30, 2011-03-31 In front of the Ministry of National Defense

미군기지 이전사업 추진 설명회 관련 긴급 기자회견:

한국이 16조원 덤터기 쓰는 불법 (한미 LPP협정 위반) 부당한 미군기지 이전사업 중단하라!

2011년 3월 30일 낮 1시, 국방부 정문 앞





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See also Pyeongteak Peace Center 평택 평화 센터( 아래 링크 클릭)

http://www.peacept.org/bbs/zboard.php?id=peacept_act&no=223

Texts Fwd: USFK’s new ‘strategic flexibility,' shown in The US 2nd Infantry's Participation in Philippines Training Exercises

___________________________________________________________
* Image & caption source: Kyunghyang Shinmun
General Walter Sharpe, Commander of US Forces Korea, is answering questions from journalists at the Combined US-Korea Forces Command. Although Korea and the US have an understanding about the operational flexibility of the US forces stationed in Korea theoretically, the US 2nd Infantry's actual participation in the Philippines training exercises causes concerns that Korean soldiers could also be drawn into unwanted battles in the future. File photo Caption by Seol Wontai ___________________________________________________________
The Kyunghyang Shinmun
The US 2nd Infantry's Participation in Philippines Training Exercises is Cause for Concern
2011-03-21

ROK-US Combined Forces Command has announced that troops from the US Army 2nd Infantry Division, stationed in Korea, will take part in joint training exercises between the United States and the Philippines, to be held from April 5 in the Philippines.

This is the first time a part of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) has taken part in an overseas training exercise. As such, it is an important event that tells us that the character and role of the USFK is changing.

According to the mutual defense treaty between the Republic of Korea and the United States, the role of the USFK is to defend the Korean Peninsula. Consequently, deploying the USFK to neighboring regions, or throughout the world strategic flexibility, in other words goes beyond the bounds of this role.

If the character of the USFK changes this way, Korea may be forced to take part in regional and global conflicts in which the US participates. The worst case scenario is that where the USFK intervene in a conflict between mainland China and Taiwan, reducing the status of the Korean Peninsula to that of a US military supply base and eventually bringing conflict to Korea itself.

This may just be a training exercise, but strategic flexibility, when it ceases to be a mere plan and enters the realm of specific implementation, cannot but be a source of serious concern regarding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

How can it be that this exercise is going ahead as if nothing is happening? The Korean government and even the Korean people appear uninterested. In 2006, Korea and the US reached a compromise that stated explicitly that, rather than Korea recognizing the strategic flexibility that the US wants, the United States "respects Korea's stance that Korea will not enter into any conflict in the Northeast Asian region irrespective of the will of the Korean people."

Criticisms have been made, however, that a single such sentence, which merely amounts to a principled expression of opinion, may not be able to remove the risk of strategic flexibility.

Since the Lee Myung-bak administration took office, even this principle has disappeared. On the contrary, this government has consistently made policies that support strategic flexibility, as can be seen in the 2009 "future vision" of the Korea-US alliance.

The US is taking advantage of this atmosphere by effectively running its 2nd Infantry Division on a rotational basis. USFK commander General Walter Sharp emphasized last December "the need for USFK to intervene on a slightly more regional basis and be stationed around the world."

Flexibility takes as a precondition a reduction in the threat from North Korea. But since the Lee Myung-bak administration took office, tension has actually increased, including the breakout of military clashes between North and South, due to hard-line South Korean policies toward the North.

The government, moreover, has even delayed the transfer of wartime operational control from the US to Korea until 2015, on grounds of the increased threat from North Korea. It is a mystery, however, why the government considers flexibility to be acceptable.

The government must not commit the folly of laying the ground for getting caught up in regional conflicts. Let us hope that it wastes no time in providing mechanisms to safeguard against this. (Editorial. The Kyunghyang Daily News, March 21, 2011. p. 31)
______________________________
Hankyoreh
[Editorial] USFK’s new ‘strategic flexibility’
Posted on : Mar.21,2011 13:32 KS

A few days ago, the Eighth U.S. Army Command announced plans for around 500 soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division reconnaissance battalion stationed in South Korea to take part in joint U.S.-Philippines exercises taking place in the Philippines beginning Apr. 5. Previously, United States Forces Korea (USFK) soldiers have participated in overseas exercises at the small scale of a few dozen troops or so, but this marks the first time an entire unit is being dispatched. This marks a serious development, as the United States has begun moving its forces according to its strategy of “strategic flexibility.”

Based on this strategy, the United States plans to operate its forces for rapid maneuvering rather than leaving them as a fixture in any one region. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attack, the United States has pushed for these policy changes in the interest of making effective use of its forces overseas. Its intent is to broaden the scope of the USFK’s placement rather than tying them to the role of deterrent against North Korea according to the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and South Korea.

However, the U.S. military’s free coming and going overseas from a base in South Korea, without any controls from the South Korean government, is not a matter that can simply be overlooked. The possibility exists that South Korea may end up unwittingly embroiled in a conflict in another nation or subjected to unnecessary suspicions. Given the delicate interweaving of potential causes for tension on the peninsula and in East Asia, it is reasonable to have serious concerns about this aspect. As an immediate example, Beijing has been expressing keen alarm over the USFK’s role as a curb against it.

In light of these factors, South Korea and the United States agreed on a set of principles regarding the USFK’s strategic flexibility in January 2006. At this time, Seoul agreed to show understanding for Washington’s change in global military strategy and respect the need for strategic flexibility with the USFK. The United States, for its part, agreed to respect Seoul’s desire not to get involved in any regional conflicts in Northeast Asia irrespective of the South Korean people’s will. The problem is that no subsequent procedures were properly instituted to manage the enforcement of these principles.

For instance, last October’s Security Consultative Meeting between South Korea and the United States failed to produce a consensus, with Seoul requesting the institutionalization of prior discussions when applying the strategic flexibility concept, and Washington declaring that it would merely provide notification.

With this latest decision, the U.S. Eighth Army merely provided a brief announcement of the fact that the reconnaissance battalion would be taking part in the exercises. Neither the Combined Forces Command nor the South Korean Ministry of National Defense provided any explanation about the process. It is not normal for South Korea to merely receive unilateral notification without any preliminary discussions when a USFK unit is transferred. We hope the South Korean and U.S. military authorities will engage in sincere discussions and disclose details about the process. (Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr] )

_________________________________
NO 731, recent News
Ministry of National Defense
South Korea and the Philippines deepen military ties　
March 15 (upload on March 21, 2011)

South Korea's Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, rear left, and his counterpart Voltaire Gazmin of the Philippines at a welcoming ceremony at the ministry in Seoul on Mar. 14. After the welcoming ceremony, two ministers discussed ways to boost bilateral defense exchanges and arms trade, the ministry said. It also said that they exchanged opinions related to regional security matters.

Earlier on Mar. 13, Gazmin landed on South Korea for his four-day visit here. Gazmin visited the Seoul National Cemetry in Dongjak, Seoul, and a 1950-53 Korean War Veterans Memorial for the Philippines in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi, to pay solemn respect to war deads.

Gazmin have also toured major defense firms. Filipino defense minister, who had served as a commander-in-chief of the Philippines Armed Forces and the ambassador to Cambodia, took ministerial position since June last year.

The Philippines, one of South Korea's traditional allies, had sent some 7,400 troops each year during and after the Korean War between September 1950 and 1955 to fight for freedom of South Korea.

After signing memorandum of understanding related to cooperation on defense and war industry with the Philippines in May 1994, South Korea had either donate F-5A fighters, Patrol Killer Medium and T-41 jets for entry level pilot training for free or sold them.

Text Fwd: General James Thurman to head USFK

Hankyoreh News Briefing
General James Thurman to head USFK
March 3, 2011

The United States has appointed the head of the US Army Forces Command, General James Thurman, as the new head of the US Forces in South Korea.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates appointed Thurman on Tuesday, replacing General Walter Sharp who is set to retire after assuming his post in 2008. Thurman has responsibility for more than 700-thousand soldiers in the continental United States and has experience in combat, including a stint as a division commander in Iraq.

South Korea’s military will soon deploy light attack helicopters on islands near the Yellow Sea border with North Korea as part of its efforts to bolster defense capability there, following North Korea’s deadly artillery attack, an official said Wednesday.

The planned deployment of 500MD helicopters is aimed at countering a possible hovercraft infiltration by North Korea’s special forces into one of the border islands, the official at the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

U.S. aircraft maker Boeing Co. will deliver the first of four airborne early warning aircraft to South Korea’s Air Force in July, a company official said Wednesday, a move that would beef up the South’s surveillance capabilities over North Korea.

Boeing won a US$1.6 billion order in 2006 to sell four Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) planes to South Korea. The three remaining aircraft are expected to be delivered to South Korea by the end of 2012　 (Yonhap News Agency)
____________________________
See also
Kyunghyang
US Says, "Regime Change in North Korea Is Not Our Goal"; Bosworth Hints at Food Assistance to North Korea
March 3, 2011

Text Fwd: Top US commander stresses cultural ties with S. Korea

* Image source: same as the link'

'Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, Chief of 8th U.S. Army'




Korea Times

Top US commander stresses cultural ties with S. Korea
By Jung Sung-ki




12-19-2010

A top American commander in Seoul said he is confident in the U.S.-ROK ability to thwart any further North Korean provocation.

“We continue to train the ROK military and the ROK military conducts its own training in order to maintain its skills and in order to do the job to defend their own country,” Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, commanding general of the 8th U.S. Army, said. “I’m absolutely confident that we’re prepared for whatever might come.”

South Korean marines plan to hold a maritime live-fire exercise near Yeonpyeong Island Monday or Tuesday in a show of strength against North Korean provocations. Representatives from the United Nations Command will take part as observers. North Korea has threatened to retaliate against the planned drill.

Johnson pledged efforts to boost cultural ties between the United States and South Korea in order to further strengthen the alliance of the two nations.

He was attending the annual Korea-American Friendship Holiday Concert at the Seoul Performing Arts Center.

The concert included performances by the 8th Army Band and the Prima Donna Ensemble, which features 90 of South Korea’s most talented female vocalists. More than 2,000 people, including top U.S. and South Korean generals, attended the concert.

“It’s a great opportunity during holidays to get all friends together and enjoy music,” Johnson told The Korea Times. “Music is an international language every time. Even if American companies here don’t speak perfect ‘hangeul,’ and if the Koreans come here today don’t speak that much English, they can enjoy the music and enjoy the holidays.”

When he previously served as deputy commanding general for Operations, Multi-National Corps-Iraq, band performances were used as a tool for building closer ties with Iraqi troops and civilians, he recalled.

Johnson assumed command of the 8th Army on Nov. 9 after serving as deputy commanding general of I Corps at Fort Lewis in Washington. He also serves as chief of staff for U.S. Forces Korea.

Between 2006 and 2007, Johnson served as assistant division commander for maneuvers for the 2nd Infantry Division stationed north of Seoul.

“There are a lot of ways to strengthen our alliance,” the three-star general said. “It’s already the strongest in the world. It’s envied by other countries as they see the way we operate together and the way we bond together.”

“The most recent events here illustrate even more so how important it is and for us to be united together in this alliance,” the commander said, apparently referring to a series of North Korean attacks on South Koreans.

North Korea is blamed for having torpedoed a South Korean warship near the disputed sea border in the West Sea in March. On Nov. 23, the North fired nearly 200 artillery shells onto Yeonpyeong Island near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), killing two marines and two civilians.

Photo Fwd: [SPARK] One-man protest to denounce the 27th SPI

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

One-man protest to denounce the 27th SPI (Security Proliferation Initiative)
:Stop the SPI talk that infringes peace and national interest
11am, Dec. 13, 2010, In front of Ministry of National Defense

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea

The sign reads:
One-man protest to denounce the 27th SPI (Security Proliferation Initiative):
No offensive and local warfare-readiness plan!
No ‘Extended Deterrence Committee’ that heightens the nuclear war danger!
Abolish the ‘strategic alliance 2015’ that makes [ROK into]permanent military subordination!
No ROK’s whole burden of the relocation cost for the USFK(United States Forces of Korea)!

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Related blog

Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Text Fwd: S. Korea, U.S. launch joint committee to deter N. Korea's nuclear threats

Photo Fwd: No US navy transport shop’s entry into the port of Gwangyang! No drill on the cargo-working of war materials! 미해군 수송선 입항과 전쟁물자 하역연습 반대!

* Description comes later.
_________________________________________
See also
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Photos Fwd: Stop the talk on the abuse of illegal self-defense right!
한미 합참의장 협의회' 규탄
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All the image source: Gwangjoo Jeollanam-do branch, Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Dec. 3, 2010

[12/3] 미해군 수송선 입항과 전쟁물자 하역연습 반대 기자회견(클릭)

성명서는 여기 클릭

* Image source: Click HERE

Original image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, 2009
(English translation added by No Base Stories of Korea)

Gwangyang is located in the southerneastern sector of the Korean peninsula as you see in the above map. During the annual Key-Resolve war exercise staged in every March, its port is used for (un)loading war munitions.

Text Fwd: U.S.'s Top Military Commander To Visit South Korea 미국 최고 군사 사령관 멀렌, 남한 방문 (12월 7일)

* Image source: same as the link

'Mullen is to meet with new South Korean National Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin
and Army Gen. Han Min-koo, the chairman of the South Korean military.
He also is to meet with other members of the South Korean national security team.'

* Text sent from Rick Rozoff on Dec. 7, 2010

U.S. Department of Defense
American Forces Press Service
December 6, 2010
Mullen to Visit Seoul to Consult, Reassure Allies
By Jim Garamone

WASHINGTON: The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will fly to South Korea tonight for high-level consultations with defense officials there, the chairman’s spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said today.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen will consult with South Korean defense leaders and demonstrate the strength of the U.S.-South Korean alliance. The chairman will participate in meetings in Seoul, the nation’s capitol, Wednesday.

Mullen’s visit is the result of “an interagency decision made late last week,” Kirby said. The visit comes as tensions remain high on the peninsula following the North Korean artillery strike on Yeongpyeong island last month. The attack killed four South Koreans -- two civilians and two Marines.

The discussions will focus on the alliance and new ways to cooperate and improve interoperability, Kirby said. Army Gen. Walter L. “Skip” Sharp, who leads United Nations Command in South Korea, is to participate.

The visit is intended to reassure South Korea “that we continue to stand by them in defense of their territory,” Kirby said. “This [visit] is not meant as a message to anybody. But, that said, we’ve made it very clear internationally … that we are there to stay, we are committed to that alliance, and nobody … should mistake our resolve.”
....
===========================
Stop NATO
Blog site

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See also

From the Pacific Command
United States Forces of Korea
U.S. Army upgrades pre-positioned stocks in Korea
By Walter T. Ham IV, Eighth Army Public Affairs

Text Fwd: [USFK News] Eighth Army deploys for exercise Autumn Breeze [주한 미군 뉴스] 미 8군 '가을 미풍' 전쟁 연습을 위한 배치

* Image source: same as the link

'Maj. Gen. Robert Williamson, deputy commanding general of Eighth Army,
visits the mobile command post at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex during Autumn Breeze 2010. U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Hong Joon-sung, Eighth Army Public Affairs.'

Eighth Army deploys for exercise Autumn Breeze
By Pvt. Hong Joon-sung, Eighth Army Public Affairs

RODRIGUEZ LIVE FIRE COMPLEX, South Korea — Eighth Army deployed Nov. 15 to this training range near the Korean Demilitarized Zone for exercise Autumn Breeze 2010.
To support Eighth Army's transition to a field army, mobility and network connectivity are the main goals of the exercise.

“Eighth Army will not be a stationary command," said Sgt. Maj. Jed Hawkland. "We will be a command headquarters that can be deployed."

Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division, Special Troops Battalion, Alpha Company are supporting the exercise by installing a satellite communication system for the mobile command post.

Alpha Company Soldiers set up the Satellite Transportable Terminal and Unit Hub Satellite Communication Truck to the enable network access.

STT is a mobile trailer-based satellite dish that provides high-bandwidth connectivity as far down as the battalion-level at forward-operating military bases.

Braving the November weather in a deployed environment, Eighth Army is working hard to achieve the goals of Autumn Breeze 2010.

Text Fwd: ROK-US Militray Drill, Nov. 22~30 한미 전쟁 연습 11월 22일~30일

Korea Times
US Marine won’t participate in exercise in West Sea
11-18-2010
By Jung Sung-ki

The U.S. Marine and Navy will not participate in the forthcoming amphibious training exercise with their South Korean counterparts scheduled for later this month, a spokesman for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Wednesday.

Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced Tuesday a plan to hold a large-scale military drill from Nov. 22-30 with the participation of about 70,000 troops from all the four services of the South Korean Armed Forces.

As part of the “Hoguk” exercise, the South Korean and U.S. Marines and Navies had originally planned a joint amphibious exercise in the western waters of the Korean Peninsula. The U.S. Marine’s expeditionary force from Okinawa, Japan, was scheduled to take part in the landing exercise.

A local newspaper speculated that the cancellation of participation by the U.S. Marines in the exercise comes amid repeated complaints from China about joint maritime maneuvers conducted by U.S. and South Korean forces in the West Sea.

Beijing considers most of the West Sea, or Yellow Sea, to be its territory, despite international agreements that declare most of those areas to be open waters.

“The U.S. Marine and Navy participation in the annual ROK-U.S. amphibious training exercise had to be postponed due to scheduling conflicts,” Col. Jonathan Withington, chief of the USFK public affairs office, told The Korea Times. “The U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea will look for another opportunity to conduct this vital training at a later date.”

The annual exercise is important for maintaining the combat readiness of both the Combined Forces Command and the ROK-U.S. alliance, the colonel added.

South Korea has staged a series of massive military drills along with the U.S. military in recent months in a show of strength against North Korea in the aftermath of the sinking of one of the South’s warships in March this year.

In May, a Seoul-led international team of investigators determined that the ship, Cheonan, was sunk by a torpedo fired from a North Korean submarine.

Forty-six sailors were killed in the incident. North Korea denies the allegation.

Text Fwd:[Translation] Statement against illegal inspection and unjust lay-off by the U. S. Air Force of Korea, Kunsan [번역]군산 미공군의 불법 사찰 부당해고 규탄 성명

__________________________________________________

참조 reference

대한민국과 아메리카합중국간의 상호방위조약 제4조에 의한 시설과 구역 및 대한민국에서의 합중국 군대의 지위에 관한 협정: 한_영SOFA.rtf 755K View as HTML Download

Agreement under Article IV of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America, Regarding Facilities and Areas and the Status of United States Armed Forces in the Republic of Korea: SOFA_Eng.doc 672K View Download
__________________________________________________

* Image & caption source: Voice of People, Nov. 8, 2010
(ⓒ Kim Pan-Tae, Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea)

군산미군기지 월례집회. 군산과 전북지역 단체들은 매월 둘째주 수요일 2시 정기 집회를 진행해오고 있다.ⓒ 김판태

A monthly rally in front of the Kunsan U.S. Air Base. The civil organizations in Kunsan(Gunsan) and Jeollabuk-do have been holding a regular monthly rally every 2pm, 2nd Wednesday of every month.

* Image source: Google

__________________________________________________
* 아래의 두 번역은 평화와 통일을 여는 사람들 사이트의 군산 주한 미공군 기지의 불법적 민간인 사찰 및 해고를 규탄하는 11월 10일 기자 회견문(클릭) 및 군산 미공군 불법사찰 및 부당해고 사건 주요경과(클릭)를 영문 번역한 것입니다. 내용이 중요하다 여겨지니 많은 분들께서 군산 평통사 카페 사이트(클릭)를 방문, 원문및 다른 기사들을 읽어 주시면 고맙겠읍니다. 또한 맨 아래에 넣은 군산 평통사 까페 사이트로부터 퍼온 이글의 유승기 목사님 의 11월 9일 연설 비디오 도 참조 하시길(클릭). 한편 군산 기지 관련 영문 블로그는 여기를 클릭
__________________________________________________

* The below is a arbitrary translation of the Korean statement in the link.
* For more on the protests against the Kunsan U.S. Air force base, go to HERE.
* Kunsan is also spelled in Gunsan.
* USFK is United States Forces of Korea
__________________________________________________

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea(SPARK)

Press release on Nov. 10, 2010

We strongly denounce illegal inspection and unjust lay-off
by the Kunsan United States Air Force of Korea!

On last Oct. 21, a Korean civilian who has served in the Kunsan USFK base for 17 years has gotten a lay-off notice. In the sense that it was not a simple lay-off happening but that has been processed by the USFK investigation organization for the purpose of illegally inspecting and investigating Korean civilian, church, and civil organization and of oppressing their activities, it is a serious event that should never be overlooked.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch, SPARK/ 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트: 클릭)

▲ 군산 미 공군기지 ⓒ 장재완
▲ Kunsan U.S. Air base ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

We announce our position, strongly denouncing the investigation organization of the United States Forces of Korea(USFK) that has been illegally inspecting and oppressing the activities of the Kunsan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea (SPARK) & its members that have openly expanded its movements for the settlement of the matters related to the Kunsan US base & for peace disarmament, and that has further infringed South Koreans’ sovereignty and human rights.

The United States Forces of Korea should immediately withdraw from its decision of illegal and unjust lay-off of a Korean civilian!

The event this time began when the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) took away Mr. Jung who has worked for 17 years as an electric engineer in the Kunsan U.S. Air Base (Eighths combat air wing of the 7th Air Force, United States) and investigated him with the charge of leakage of military secrete and on the relationship between him and the SPARK.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010년 11월 15일
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch, SPARK/ 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트: 클릭)

▲ 미공군특별수사대 마크 ⓒ 김판태(군산평통사 사무국장)
▲ U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI)
ⓒ Kim Pan-Tae, Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK

Mr. Jung is a Christian who has been present for 15 years in the Dolbegae (* meaning stone pillow) church that has been taken charge of by Rev. Yoo, a former representative of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK and is a civilian who has faithfully worked in the Kunsan U.S. base without bringing any problem. He is only a devotee of the Dolbegae church, nothing to do with the SPARK, and has no special concern with its activities.

At the time, the AFOSI investigating Jung and showing the activity materials of the SPARK & members-only resources of the Dolbegae church’s internet café etc, forced him to confess whether he had leaked military secret to the SPARK. [The AFOSI] also committed all kinds of illegalities and oppressions on human rights, by forcing him to do a false confession using a lie detector; expelling him out of base even by mobilizing (a) military dog(s) after investigation and by psychologically coercing him; and further its U.S. military inspector(s) confiscating his personal computer from his house even without a confiscation & search warrant and attempting to search his house even without taking off his(their) shoes.

(* In Korean tradition culture (and mostly in the modern times, too), people take off their shoes when they enter into the inside of house. It is considered very rude if they don’t, in Korea.)

[The AFOSI] especially took problematic that Rev. Yoo had visited Jung’s office in the Kunsan base, on his way of visiting his church followers’ places to help their religious faith activities. But [Rev. Yoo’s] visit at the time was only part of his missionary activities and was practiced following legal procedures of in &out [of base], only remaining (a) photo(s) in memory of his visit in Jung’s office.

(* In the beginning of the below Korean video, Rev. Yoo states about his feeling of how sorry he is about all the horrible things that have happened to his church follower, Jung. Rev. Yoo says he has been a representative of Kunsan branch of the SPARK for two years but has quit being so cautious because he did not want his SPARK activity could possibly damage of careers of his two church followers including Jung who had been working in the Kunsan U.S. air base for long time, before this incident happened. Rev. Yoo laments of how horrible things -illegal lay-off and inspection etc- happened to Mr. Jung, which were more than his imagination he could think. In the end of video, he urges Koreans that the Koreans, not the USFK are the masters of the Korean lands and they should retake their lands back, citing one of the Aesop fables of which a camel whom he compares with the USFK- and who eventually pushes a master (Koreans) out from his home (lands of Korea) and occupied them.)

Eventually, as the AFOSI could not prove its charges of [Jung's] leaking of military secrets and of his being related to the SPARK, which they had intended against him, the Kunsan U. S. air force ordered him never to inform the outside world of the fact that he had been investigated [by it] nor to attend at his own office [in the base] any more. Mr. Jung who was investigated with those tremendous charges that he could never understand has spent some months being adrift of anguish and without being present at the church he would go nor informing to anyone of the fact that he had been investigated, because of unspeakable mental shock and anxiety that he might lose his job that he had been working on for 17 years.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010/11/15
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트에 올려짐)

▲ 해고 당한 정모씨가 15년째 신앙생활를 해오고 있는 군산 돌베개교회 ⓒ 장재완
▲ The Dolbegae Church, Kunsan, where the laid-off Jung has been attending for 15 years ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

However, different from his expectation, the Kunsan US air force noticed him of its lay-off plan on him on last Sept. 20 and gave him its final lay-off notice on last Oct. 21. The reasons that it took to lay him off were that Jung had maintained an ‘inappropriate’ relationship with Rev. Yoo, a [former] representative of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK; had provided [Rev. Yoo] access to the Kunsan base; had provided it false information during investigation; and that he had been related to anti-US organization(s).

* Image & caption source: Voice of People, Nov. 8, 2010
(ⓒ Kim Pan-Tae, Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea)

군산 미공군이 정씨에게 보낸 해고예정 통보서.ⓒ 김판태
A planned lay-off notice sent to Mr. Jung, by the Kunsan U.S. air force

However, how possibly it can be the lay-off reasons to attend at the Dolbegae Church that has devoted for peace, unification and its neighborhood and to be in and out of the Kunsan base following legal procedures? And how it can be a provision of false information for him to re-state the time period of his recognition of the SPARK and how it can be claimed that he is related to the SPARK [for the reason] that he has donated to Dolbegae church, Gunsan Women’s Hotline and Peace Missionary? The reasons for lay-off of him, that the Kunsan air force asserted are of all nothing but preposterous stubbornness and narrow-minded assertion.

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010/11/15
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch, SPARK/ 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트: 클릭)

▲ 군산 미 공군기지에서 해고당한 정씨(왼쪽) ⓒ 장재완
▲ Mr. Jung laid-off by the Kunsan U.S. Air base (in the left) ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

Such lay-off measure of the USAFK, Kunsan, must be the illegal lay-off that violated the clause 3 of the Article 17, Status of United States Armed Forces in the Republic of Korea (SOFA), that reads, “[T]he conditions of employment, compensation and labor-management relations established by the United States armed forces for their employees shall conform with provisions of labor legislation of the Republic of Korea.” and clause [2] of article 17, ‘Agreed Minutes’ that reads, “The Government of the United States shall not terminate employment unless there is just cause.”

* Image source: Ohmy News, Nov. 15, 2010 오마이 뉴스, 2010/11/15
(Uploaded in the internet cafe site of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK 군산 평통사 인터넷 까페 사이트에 올려짐)

▲ 군산 미공군기지(미 7공군 제8전투비행단) 앞 노동조합군산지부 안내판ⓒ 장재완
▲ A Guide mark of the Kunsan branch of the Korean employee union, in front of the Kunsan US Air Base(the 8th combat air wing of the 7th U.S. Air Force)ⓒ Jang Jae-Wan

Upon it, we strongly urge the authority of the United States Forces of Korea, to immediately withdraw from its illegal lay-off of an innocent Korean civilian and to reinstate Mr. Jung.

Apologize about illegal inspection and investigation that infringed sovereignty and human rights of South Korea!

The fact that the AFOSI, Kunsan forced by showing Mr. Jung the SPARK materials and closed resource that is only open to the devotees of the Dolbegae, during its inspection process tells that the USFK has routinely and illegally investigated civilian and church not to mention the civil organization(s) in South Korea.

The Kunsan USAFK is acknowledging itself that it has progressed illegal inspection by stating that it has investigated on the incident since last Sept. 11, 2008, in its dispatch letter on the lay-off of Mr. Jung.

There is no legal basis for an investigation office of the United States Forces of Korea to inspect and investigate South Korean civilian, civil organizations and churches. If any illegal activities are discovered, [inspection & investigation] are the tasks of the inspection organization(s), South Korean, never of those of the United States Forces of Korea.

Illegal inspection, taking away, confiscation and search committed by an inspection office of the United States Forces of Korea is a serious infringement of article 12, Constitution of Republic of Korea that states ‘freedom of body’; a grave encroachment of the judicial sovereignty of ROK; and a violation of article 3 of the law on the protection of communication secret that stipulated the protection of secret in communication.

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Nov. 9, 2010평통사, 11월 9일

주한 미 대사관 앞 134 차 자주 통일 평화 행동 집회의 유승기 목사
Rev. Yoo Seung-Gi holding the sign of ' No infringement of freedom of religion, No United States Forces of Korea!'
At the 134th Self-Reliance, Unification, and Peace Action rally in front of the United States of Embassy, Seoul

Also, it is a serious damage of honor and challenge to ‘freedom of religion’ that is prescribed in the article 20 of the Constitution [of the ROK] that [the Kunsan USAFK] investigated the SPARK and Rev. Yoo, saying such and such of leakage of military secret and charging them as spy.

The Kunsan Air Base of the U. S. has annually held its open event of Kunsan base and it is common [for people] to come into and go out to the restaurant and other facilities inside base, guided by base worker. It cannot but be seen as the target inspection and oppression originated from the intention to shrink the activities of civil organization(s) that constantly raise(es) the issue of the USFK that [the Kunsan Air Base] laid off Mr. Jung, questioning the coming and going of only a SPARL representative.

The authorities of the United States Forces of Korea should clearly know that they is not a South Korean now, who tolerates the stationing of the USFK as a ruler who rather attempts to control and oppress civil organization and Korean people through its illegal inspection from the behind, not to mention its neither hearing the claims by civil organization(s) who make(s) an effort to settle the matters of the USFK nor trying to settle those.

Therefore, strongly denouncing illegal inspection, investigation and oppression on the SPARK by the Kunsan US air force, we strongly urge the authorities of the USFK to apologize to South Koreans and strictly punish the related personnel. If the authority of the USFK ignores our demands and does not thoroughly settle the event this time, we clearly state that we would strongly fight, such as widely spreading barbarism of the USFK not to mention of legal response such as bringing a suit and indicting against the U.S. air force, in Kunsan.

* Image source: Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea, Nov. 9, 2010평통사, 11월 9일
△ 항의서한과 면담요청서를 미대사관에 전달.
△ The activists delivered their letters of protest and meeting request to the United States Embassy, Seoul

Along with that, the Lee Myung-Bak government should actively stand to correct the infringements of sovereignty and human rights of South Koreans and unjust lay-off by the U. S. air force, Kunsan.

Nov. 10, 2010

Kunsan branch, Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea; Gunsan Women’s Hotline; Dolbegae Church; The Civil Council for Retaking Back of Our Lands in the Kunsan(Gunsan) USFK Base*; Jeollabuk-do branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Jeollabuk-do branch of the Democratic Labor Party; Iksan branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea; Jeonjoo branch of the Solidarity for Peace And Unification of Korea; Jeollabuk-do branch of the Korean Alliance of Progressive Movements; Jeollabuk-do branch of the New Progressive Party; Peace Missionaries; and all the persons present in the press interview

___________________________________________________

* The below is an arbitrary translation of the Korean summary in the link.

Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea(SPARK)
Nov. 12, 2010

-Development of the main affairs related to illegal inspection and unjust lay-off by the Kunsan United States Air Forces of Korea (USAFK), -

○ June 10, 2010

- The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) takes away Mr. Jung (45) and processes an investigation related to military- secret leakage and to the Solidarity for Peace And Reunification of Korea ( Co-permanent representatives: Fr. Moon Kyu-Hyun, Mr. Bae-Jong-Ryeol, and Rev. Hong Keun-Soo)

- Jung denies the charge of leakage of military secret upon him and answers he does not know the SPARK.

- Investigation result: [the AFOSI] could not find from him any facts of military-secret leakage and relation ship with the SPARK.

-Right after investigation: The USAFK, Kunsan, prohibits him not to outflow the investigation facts to outside and orders him to stop to attend to the Kunsan base .

- [The USAFK, Kunsan] searches [Mr. Jung’s] home without warrant and confiscates his personal computer.

- A completely armed base guard, using (a) shepherd, the military dog(s), and coercing Mr. Jung with psychological impact and expels him to outside the base.

○ June 11

- While Mr. Jung answered upon the inquiry that regards Rev. Yoo Seung-Gi, Dolbegae Church, as a spy, that “I don’t know about the SPARK,” being embarrassed and confused, brought back his memory after returning home and stated again saying that, “ After leading Rev. Yoo to the Kunsan base in 2007 & 2009, I became to know the facts of Rev. Yoo’ activities in the SPARK by internet searching around Jan. 10, but I don’t know about the SPARK in detailed contents.”

- Even though the Kunsan USAFK defined his former [statement] above as a false statement and made reason of his lay-off, it cannot be the reason of lay-off as [his changing statement] did not come from his vicious intention.

○ August 2 to 3

- The U.S. AFOSI: investigate [Mr. Chung] with lie detector.

- After the end of investigation with lie detector, the investigator asserting that “All Jung’s answers were lies,” and enforced Mr. Jung to acknowledge that, “Mr. Jung has been related to the SPARK,” but Mr. Jung said he could not acknowledge the investigation result on him.

- Upon that, the investigator conciliated him saying that, “ Since you have passed all the lie detector investigation except for one thing (that Mr. Jung recognized the fact that Rev, Yoo had been working in the SPARK when he was leading Rev. Yoo to Kunsan base), acknowledge only that.”

Mr. Jung re-claiming that all his answers were facts, replied that “As the origin of this accident was made because of the relationship between [myself] and Rev. Yoo, I could not but react much emotionally at the inquiry about my old acquaintance with whom I have to cut relationship, upon hearing his name,” regarding the item that he could not pass [lie detector].

○ Sept. 20 : receives the notice on his planned lay-off

○ Sept. 28: submits an explanation letter

○ Oct. 20 (Dated Oct. 21): receives from the Kunsan USAFK a notice on decision of his lay-off

○ Oct. 29: submits a written application to the human resource dept. of the USFK. Audit is planned (two to three months are expected for it to be taken)
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[2010/11/9] (동영상) 군산미공군 불법사찰 부당해고 사건_유승기 목사 연설 (비디오 소개 및 URL: 군산 평통사)
[Nov. 9, 2010] On the incident of Kunsan U.S. Air Force's illegal inspection and unjust lay-off_Speech by Rev. Yoo ( Video introduction & URL in Korean: Kunsan branch of the SPARK)


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More Photos

* All the image source of the below: Kim Hyun-Jin, News Cham, Nov. 11, 2010
김현진, 참세상, 2010년 11월 11일

▲ 군산미공군이 민간이 불법사찰하고 부당해고까지 한 사실이 드러나면서 10일 전북경찰청 앞에서 전북지역 시민단체들이 강력 규탄에 나섰다. [출처: 참소리]

▲ As the fact that the U.S. air force, Kunsan has illegally inspected and laid off a Korean civilian was revealed, the civil organizations in Kunsan, Jeollabuk-do, entered strong protests in front of the Jeollabuk-do provincial police agency on Nov. 10, 2010
The sign reads, “We strongly denounce the U.S. air force, Kunsan, for its illegal inspection of church and civil organization( sign by the Dolbegae church).

▲ 전북경찰청 기자실 입구 앞 복도를 막아선 경찰. [출처: 참소리]
▲ The police are preventing protesters by blocking a corridor in front of the press room,
Jeollabuk-do police agency, Nov. 10, 2010

▲ 시민단체들이 기자실이 아닌 도경찰청 현관 앞에서 회견을 진행하려 했지만 그마저도 경찰은 무산시켰다.

▲ Even though some civil organizations tried to process a press interview in front of the gate of the Jeollabuk-do provincial police agency, not in its press room, the police prevented even that.

▲ 기자회견문 자료 내용이 모두 사실이라는 피해자 정모씨의 사실확인서.

▲ The Secretary of the Kunsan branch of the SPARK is holding Jung’s letter in which Jung , the victim by the Kunsan USFK confirmed that all the contents in the press release statement were true.