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Documents: Lack of bombing training facilities spurred complaints
May 29, 2006
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| The United States threatened last year to relocate some of its air force troops out of South Korea to other countries unless Seoul guaranteed a suitable air-to-ground bombing training facility, according to a South Korean Defense Ministry document leaked to the media. American Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld issued the threat when he met with his counterpart, Yoon Kwang-ung, during an annual security consultation in Seoul in October, the documents showed. According to the Defense Ministry document, created in April for submission to the National Assembly, Mr. Rumsfeld complained about the lack of bombing ranges in Korea for the U.S. Air Force. In the past, Washington hinted at the possibility it would relocate some of its 7th Air Force to areas outside Korea due to poor training facilities, but it was the first time Mr. Rumsfeld made an issue of it during U.S.-South Korea talks. The 7th Air Force consists of about 10,000 air force personnel located primarily at Osan and Gunsan air bases. They fly and maintain F-16 Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt combat aircraft. After the report was leaked, a South Korean Defense Ministry official said yesterday the U.S. assertion did not mean the troops would move out from Korea. “It just means that the troops will conduct training outside the peninsula,” he said. Another military official, however, said that overseas training would result in the eventual reduction of U.S. Air Force strength here. “If the U.S. Air Force continues to exercise overseas, its financial burden for fuel and transportation will increase,” he said. “That will eventually bring about a cut in troops, which already suffer from a lack of training.” A South Korean Air Force official said the shutdown of Kooni bombing range in Maehyangri, southern Gyeonggi province, last year, resulted in a significant shortage of training for the 7th Air Force. The bombing range, located 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Seoul, was closed down in August after 54 years of exclusive use by the U.S. Air Force. Residents had long complained of noise, damage to their property, accidental casualties and psychological suffering. A U.S. Forces Korea source said the training shortage has become a problem among their members. “A U.S. Air Force pilot who has failed to fulfill the required training hours suffers a disadvantage in getting a promotion,” the U.S. military source said. “After the Maehyangri bombing range was closed, some pilots were unable to fulfill their required hours of air-to-ground attack training, and they asked to be relocated to units outside of Korea.” To resolve the problem, the U.S. Force recently sent some of its Air Force members to Thailand and other countries for air-to-ground bombing training. At the October meeting, Mr. Rumsfeld asked South Korea to allow it to use Korean-operated bombing ranges for more hours. As of now, the two countries share two bombing ranges in Gangwon and North Jeolla, but South Korea uses the fields for longer hours than U.S. forces. by Kim Min-seok, Ser Myo-ja |
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