The Marmot’s Hole

The Koon-ni U.S. Air Force firing range at Maehyang-ni is finally closing. In return, the U.S. will be allowed to use a Korean Air Force firing range (which I believe is in Gangwon Province). Now, if I had to guess, the usual crowd will soon be at that range, too, bitching about losses that failed to interest anyone when it was Korean F-16s rather than American ones dropping the munitions because — as any civic group could tell you — it’s only the 36,000 U.S. troops that cause any pain and suffering; the footprint of those other 600,000 soldiers serving under the R.O.K. flag is remarkably light (sarcasm off).

Despite the closure of the Koon-ni range, however, there are still legal issues pending as USFK has refused to pay compensation to villagers for damages resulting from shooting and bombing exercises on its firing ranges. USFK stands by Article V of the SOFA, where as the Korean government (which feels the two nations should split compensation costs) cites Article XXIII of the same agreement. Compare the relevant articles and draw your own conclusions. I’ll just say that while I could see the U.S. paying compensation in instances in which errant bombs landed on people’s houses, I can’t see how it’s possible for the U.S. to pay damages incurred when it was using the facility — which is, after all, a bombing range — as it was meant to be used. Especially when the forces doing the bombing are doing so at the invitation of the Korean government.

BTW, part of the range will apparently be turned into a “peace park.” My guess is that the park will not be dedicated to the USAF, which — ironically enough — has spent the better part of the last 50 years helping to keep the real peace on the peninsula.

UPDATE: The Hani, as one should have forseen, is still not happy:

There are parts of the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) announcement, however, that are not as welcome as the rest of the news. According to one MND official, the return was agreed on when U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was in Seoul last November, but has been a military secret all this time. You wonder why that had to be an official secret kept from the public, and you have to ask why it has been announced all of a sudden. The U.S. military recently announced it will refuse to pay part of the damages awarded Maehyang-ri residents by the Supreme Court for the noise pollution, so you can’t help but wonder if the motive for disclosing the information was to weaken the Koreans’ anger. If the idea was to justify the refusal to pay damages by promoting the fact the site will be closed, and if that was the idea of not just the U.S. military’s idea but also the MND, then the anger will actually grow.

Furthermore, the conflict over the issue environmental restoration has yet to be solved. It is especially regrettable that bombs that have failed to detonate are a serious problem about which there is still no agreement. Another problem is that the U.S. military has asked to be able to use a bombing range belonging to the Korean air force. That’s not solving the fundamental issue, it’s simply shifting it to somewhere else. The MND is said to be considering sites in Gunsan, Daecheon, and Yeongwol. In the end, it will be the same as creating another Maehyang-ri somewhere else.

The Joongang has its head screwed on a bit tighter:

As long as security threats such as North Korea’s nuclear aspirations and conflicts among the neighboring powers exist, drills will continue on the peninsula in order to defend the peace.
The South Korean-U.S. alliance must function as the foundation of our national security. Although it will not be Maehyang-ri, the two countries must have their drills at some other place on the peninsula.
Before deciding the alternate site, a thorough evaluation must be conducted to minimize possible effects on residents. The allies should try their best to earn understanding and acceptance.