U.S. military in S. Korea denies its army command was ever to move to Hawaii

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. military in South Korea denied a local news
report Friday that it reversed its earlier decision to relocate its army corps
command in Seoul to Hawaii, a move it said was never finalized in the first
place.
"8th Army never announced a move to Hawaii," the United States Forces Korea
(USFK) said in a statement. "8th Army is remaining in the Republic of Korea," it
said, using South Korea's official name.
The U.S. has 28,500 forces stationed in South Korea. The re-positioning of the
soldiers and commanders is a sensitive issue here because they have a deterrent
effect on North Korea.
The U.S. also holds the wartime operational command of South Korean troops, which
will be returned in 2012 in a historic transition of the decades-old alliance
between Seoul and Washington.
Denying the report by the mass-circulation JoongAng Ilbo, the USFK said it has
not set its schedule for the establishment of KORCOM, which will oversee U.S.
forces here after the transition.
"The date for the establishment of KORCOM has not been set," the USFK said,
adding that it has not set up a new 1,000-strong frontline combat command this
year.
"The report that the U.S. has set up 'a new operational command post near the
front line' is false," it said.
The USFK is led by Gen. Walter Sharp, who also oversees the Combined Forces
Command. Lt. Gen. Joseph Fil Jr. heads the 8th U.S. Army.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)