Only one-third of U.S. soldiers to remain at Yongsan Garrison: official

SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- The number of American soldiers at the main U.S. military base in central Seoul is expected to be reduced by two-thirds to around 200 despite a postponement in the transfer of a major military authority, a South Korean defense ministry official said Sunday.

South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to delay again a plan to give Seoul wartime control of its troops. In accordance with the agreement, several facilities, such as the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) headquarters and 8th U.S. Army headquarters, will remain at their current location, the Yongsan Garrison, in central Seoul.

"Of 600 American soldiers currently stationed at the CFC, only a small and necessary number of personnel will remain at Yongsan Garrison," said the ministry official.

Initially, Seoul and Washington agreed in 2004 to relocate the headquarters to Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, by 2016.

"The number of U.S personnel to be moved to Pyeongtaek by 2016 will be more than twofold those remaining (at Yongsan)," the official said. "Most of remaining U.S. soldiers will commute from Pyeongtaek since all of the accommodations of ranking U.S. military officials will be moved to Pyeongtaek."

"The exact number of remaining personnel will be finalized in six months through working-level talks between the two countries," the official added.

khj@yna.co.kr
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