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13 U.S. bases in Korea in Busan, Chuncheon, Paju and Uijeongbu would be returned to Korea by 2005-2006, 1~6 years ahead of schedule. This is in accordance with the decision to reduce U.S. troops in Korea by 12,500 by next year. The Yongsan Garrison move would be one year later than initially planned, and most U.S. units currently stationed at Yongsan would be moved to Pyeongtaek by the end of 2008.
Negotiating teams from both countries held a press conference at the foreign press club in Washington D.C. on Friday and announced that during the Future of the Alliance talks held Thursday and Friday, negotiations on the Yongsan Garrison move were completed and a compromise was reached between the existing Land Partnership Program (LPP) and the LPP following plans to redeploy the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division.
According to the revised LPP, 34 U.S. bases in Korea (12.18 million pyong) and three training grounds (39.49 million pyong) would be returned to Korea, while USFK would receive the agreed upon 3.49 million pyong in Pyeongtaek-Osan, 30,000 pyong in Kimcheon and 100,000 in Pohang for a total of 3.62 million pyong. Accordingly, once the USFK redeployment plan is completed, Korea would provide 34 percent (25.15 million pyong) of the 73.20 million of land it currently supplies, and U.S. bases would be reduced from 41 to 17.
(Kang In-sun, insun@chosun.com )
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