In the wake of the first retaliatory strikes against terrorist camps and Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan by the United States and Great Britain, USFK bases in Korea have been put under a state of full alert Monday, with ROK troops patrolling their neighborhoods armed with loaded rifles.

The commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, stationed in Dongducheon ordered a tight inspection on all incoming traffic, searching trunk compartments, passenger seats and the contents of luggage in the morning, causing congestion at the main entrance to the army base. The entry of Korean employees was, however, not restricted as it had been after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11. The Columbus Day holiday was observed as scheduled, but soldiers were ordered not to drink and return to their units by 10:00pm.

Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency ordered its thirty police stations to reinforce their guards at USFK facilities and Muslim Temples in the area. The number of guards around 27 USFK facilities in Gyeonggi Province has been doubled, especially in Dongducheon and Uijeongbu, where US army bases are concentrated. The National Security Department and Foreign Affair Division of the Paju Police Agency are on a 24-hour state of alert, patrolling US military camps in the city region, while the US army base at Pyeongtaek blocked its main entrance, completely banning entry; only the vehicles with permits are allowed in through the back gate.

One police squad, armed with K-2’s, was dispatched to Camp Hialeah, Jung-gu, Busan, while the Busan District Police Agency reinforced security at other USFK bases, including the 55th Supply Depot and the 837th Transportation Unit. Some 30 guards armed with loaded rifles and radio equipment are patrolling the surroundings of US army bases in Chuncheon and Wonju, Gangwon.

(Kim Seong-hyeon, danpa@chosun.com )