The U.S. military will close half of its bases in South Korea in the next 10 years under an agreement signed by the nations Friday, but will not reduce the number of American troops stationed here.
A joint statement said the U.S. military will shut down 28 combat and support facilities and three training ranges, returning more than half the land currently occupied by U.S. forces to the South Korean government by 2011.
"There is no reduction in U.S. forces," Gen. Thomas A. Schwartz, commander of the U.S. Forces in South Korea, said after signing the agreement with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Dong-shin. "We will stay at our current strength level."
Up to 12,000 of the 37,000 U.S. troops based in South Korea will be moving to new facilities, said Col. Robert Durbin, assistant deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Forces in Korea.
Schwartz said that the U.S. military would benefit from
consolidating the number of bases from 41 to 23, as it would offer greater efficiency, enhanced force protection and better quality facilities.
South Korean officials said the deal will help resolve many civil petitions related to vast plots of private land the government has commandeered for use by the U.S. military.
The first relocation will begin later this year, the joint statement said.
The U.S. military will shoulder $1.38 billion of the total $2.5 billion cost or relocations and base consolidations. The remainder will be paid by South Korea, which will build nine new facilities for U.S. troops, the statement said.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/US-Military-to-Close-S-Korea-Bases-7098586.php
