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Relocation of U.S. frontline troops to be delayed
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap)-- A proposed southward relocation of U.S. frontline troops in South Korea will be delayed for about one to two years, a government source said Sunday.
The envisioned relocation of the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. forces in Korea (USFK) slated to be completed by 2013 will be put off because of financing problems, the government source said.
In December 2004, South Korea and the U.S. agreed to move the garrisons of the USFK dotted around the country to Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul.
Under the agreement, the 2nd Infantry Division is slated to move to Pyeongtaek from Euijeongbu, 23 kilometers north of Seoul, and Dongducheon, 40 kilometers north of Seoul by 2013.
The U.S. military wants to partly use Seoul's budget for maintaining the USFK to conduct the relocation, but Seoul is reluctant to accept the U.S. proposal, the source said.
The U.S. military says Seoul's opposition to its proposal forces the relocation to be delayed, it added.
The South Korean government is sticking to its position that it will pay for the cost of moving the U.S. garrison in Yongsan out of Seoul, while the U.S. government should pay for the cost of relocating the 2nd Infantry Division.
"Another reason behind delaying the realignment of the 2nd Infantry Division seems to be that Seoul and Washington placed their priority on the relocation of the Yongsan base," the source said.
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