YONHAP NEWS

S. Korea, U.S. to break ground for Pyeongtaek military base

   By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Nov. 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will formally kick off a 12-billion-dollar project later this week to relocate the Yongsan base in central Seoul to Pyeongtaek, officials said Monday.

   The two sides plan to hold a ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday for the expansion of Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul, they added.

   The U.S. military has been pushing to consolidate the Yongsan base and other facilities north of Seoul into an expanded compound in Pyeongtaek, as part of efforts to realign its 28,000 troops here.

   The allies have agreed to almost evenly split the cost for the project scheduled to finish by 2012.

   "The ground-breaking ceremony, hosted by Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo, will be attended by more than 1,200 people including U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. B.B. Bell, Pyeongtaek Mayor Song Myeong-ho, and local residents," said Lee Jae-young, spokesman for the Defense Ministry's U.S. base relocation team.

   The ceremony is aimed to demonstrate the government's will to push for the project in harmony with local residents, he added.

   The base relocation work had been delayed because some residents refused to vacate the site.

   lcd@yna.co.kr
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