Dongducheon to cut support for U.S. military

A municipality in Dongducheon, north of Seoul, is increasing pressure on the central government to offer sufficient support measures to cover losses it suffered from the reversal of a decision to move a U.S. military unit out of the city by 2016.

The city government plans to stop providing administrative support for the registration of U.S. military vehicles at Camp Casey from Monday. It also threatened to block the main gate of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division and carry out a city-wide referendum to ask residents whether they were in favor of the U.S. unit’s presence in the city.

The municipality has strongly protested the decision by Seoul and Washington to retain the 210 Fire Brigade, the U.S.’ key anti-artillery unit, in Dongducheon until the South’s artillery reinforcement plan is completed around 2020.

The city has been pushing for a series of development schemes on the premise that all U.S. bases in the city would be relocated to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province by 2016 under the so-called Land Partnership Plan. It has criticized the Seoul government for canceling the plan, saying that the delay would seriously impede its development efforts.

The city said it would withdraw its employee from Camp Casey who has helped U.S. military personnel register their cars under the Status of Forces Agreement, a pact that governs the legal status of the 28,500 U.S. troops in Korea. After the withdrawal, the U.S. personnel must visit the city hall for vehicle registration.

From next Monday, civic groups in the city plan to stage a one-person demonstration in front of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division headquarters. On the weekends, Dongducheon Mayor Oh Se-chang and other senior officials plan to join the protest.

Next Wednesday, the Seoul government plans to hold a meeting to discuss the support measures. Should there be no progress in devising sufficient measures, the city would take stronger action, including blocking the main gate of the U.S. military base. The government plans to announce its support measures in May.

By Song Sang-ho ()