Yongsan Garrison

thumb|200px|An [[ichnography of USAG Yongsan. The yellow area at the top is Camp Coiner.]]

Yongsan Garrison (; Hanja: ), meaning "dragon hill garrison", is an area located in the Yongsan District of central Seoul, South Korea. The site served as the headquarters for U.S. military forces stationed in South Korea, known as United States Forces Korea (USFK), and as United States Army Garrison Yongsan (USAG-Yongsan) until 2018, under the supervision of the U.S. Army's Installation Management Command Pacific Region. From 1910 to 1945 it served as headquarters for the Imperial Japanese Army in Korea. By the end of 2019, more than 20,000 U.S. troops and family members will have been relocated to the new Camp Humphreys facility south of Seoul. While most of the land will be returned to the South Korean government, the U.S. will retain a small portion of land in order to keep open the Dragon Hill Lodge military resort hotel and for a future site to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. Korean officials are still debating the future use of the land being returned, with some calling for a large park and others calling for more affordable housing.

History

Yongsan Garrison's land had traditionally been the site of military facilities under former Korean kingdoms. In 1882, Qing troops used it during the Imo Incident. During that time, the area was on the outskirts of the city in mostly undeveloped land. The Imperial Japanese Army formally established the garrison and from 1910 to 1945 it served as its headquarters in Korea. Since then, the city of Seoul has spread to envelop Yongsan Garrison.

Yongsan Garrison has been used by the United States Army as Garrison Yongsan (USAG-Yongsan), under the supervision of the Installation Management Command Pacific Region.

In August 2008, U.S. President George W. Bush spoke to U.S. and South Korean military personnel, their families, and civilian employees at Yongsan Garrison's Collier Field House, 6 as part of his final visit to Asia. The plan was delayed to 2018. The 2018 estimates place the relocation completing in 2019 or 2020.

South Korea had traditionally regarded this garrison as insurance against the U.S. Army abandoning Seoul, located only about 65 km from the DMZ. As part of the relocation and the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops near the DMZ, all American troops would be pulled back from north of the Han River. A December 2014 agreement between the South Koreans and the U.S. declared that one U.S. Army brigade would be allowed to remain "north of the Han River"; it is believed this means on or near the present U.S. Army Camp Casey in Dongducheon City.

The Embassy of the United States in Seoul may build a new chancery on part of the land planned to be vacated by the U.S. Army, most probably on Camp Coiner. Most of the U.S. Embassy officials live in an embassy housing compound in an area almost completely enveloped by Yongsan Garrison, and with direct access to it.

Facilities

Many of the older, dark-colored brick buildings on the base are former Japanese army buildings and are used by U.S. forces, most notably the Eighth Army headquarters building. Directly across from Eighth Army headquarters is the Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea headquarters, a structure built in the early 1970s. The building is home to the Commanding General, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea.

Facilities include multiple family housing areas, a large commissary and Post Exchange, Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities, restaurants, indoor and outdoor sports complexes, a library, a bowling alley, a skateboard park, a miniature golf complex, a hospital, a dental clinic, three Department of Defense Dependent Schools, a United Service Organization (USO), child development centers, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an automotive care center, and a self-service gas station. a hotel which is operated as an Armed Forces Recreation Center by the U.S. Army in support of personnel assigned or employed by the U.S. Forces Korea, their family members, and guests.

The garrison consists of two main parts: Main Post (North Post) and South Post, which are physically divided by Itaewon-ro, a four-lane city boulevard. In 2003, a two-lane overpass bridge was constructed over this boulevard to solve traffic congestion.

The garrison provides installation support for K-16 Air Base, Camp Kim, Sungnam Golf Course, and Camp Coiner. Camp Coiner, covering approximately 50 acres (200,000 m<sup>2</sup>) on Yongsan Garrison's northern edge, is named after 2nd Lt. Randall Coiner, a Korean War Silver Star recipient. Until 2014, it also supported an outlying U.S. Army housing area called Hannam Village in Hannam-dong; that site was sold in 2016 to private developers and, as of 2018, redevelopment as luxury housing was underway. After the Korean War it served as Korea's primary in-processing facility for Army troops. (As of 2008, the 1st Replacement Company (1RC), a part of the Yongsan Readiness Center, serves as the central in-processing and orientation center for U.S. servicemembers and their families arriving to Korea.) There was an Officers' Club, NCO Club and Enlisted Club in the camp.

Collier Field House serves as the garrison's primary fitness center. Named in honor of Corporal John Collier, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during the Korean War, this sports complex is on Yongsan South Post and features basketball, racquetball, volleyball, baseball, softball, aerobic, and weight training facilities. It offers authorized patrons instructor-lead fitness training programs. The Collier Field House is used for community events and town hall meetings.

The single family suburban style housing areas, with yards and tree lined streets, plus the small wooded areas throughout the Garrison stand in stark contrast to the highly urbanized areas surrounding the facility.

The War Memorial of Korea directly abuts the garrison. Before the construction of this museum, the land was part of the Korean military command and was only slightly separated from the U.S. Army facility, both having been part of the original Japanese Garrison. Outside the garrison, east of the compound is the commercial district of Itaewon, with westernized shopping and nightlife. To the west of Yongsan is the Samgakji subway station and Yongsan Electronics Market.

Although access to the garrison is controlled at the gates, it was possible for larger-than-normal drops of North Korean propaganda (leaflets and CDs) to occur at Yongsan Garrison, as recently as 22 December 2017. US troops were cautioned not to handle the materials themselves but to report them to Eighth Army G2X (counterintelligence).

Administration

thumb|300px|Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton visits USAG-Yongsan 20 February 2009. The Combined Forces Command (CFC) Commanding General Walter Sharp (right) and his deputy, General Lee Sung-chool (이성출, left), welcomed the secretary.]]

thumb|300px|Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. [[Richard A. Cody (left) and Installation Management Command Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. John A. Macdonald (right) present USAG-Yongsan officials with a third-place trophy for the Fiscal 2008 Army Communities of Excellence competition 8 May at the Pentagon. ]]

thumb|300px|President [[George W. Bush spoke to military personnel, their families and civilian employees at Collier Field House while visiting U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, 6 August 2008.]]

Yongsan Garrison is commanded by a U.S. Army colonel and is one of four U.S. Army Installation Management Command Pacific Region(IMCOM-P) garrisons in the Republic of Korea, and one of 179 such garrisons worldwide.

IMCOM-P is a military organization primarily to provide the United States Army in Korea the installation capabilities and services to support operations, and to provide a quality of life for soldiers and their families. IMCOM-P is the Korean regional office of the Installation Management Command headquartered in Hawaii.

Army Family Covenant

In December 2007 Yongsan Garrison officials and the IMCOM-Korean commanding general pledged their support to develop and improve family programs during an Army Family Covenant signing ceremony. According to garrison officials, "The Army Family Covenant is our commitment to deliver a quality of life commensurate to our Soldiers' service." include Loring Village, Lloyd L. Burke Towers, Watkins Ridge and Krzyzowski Hills. Commonly known as Black Hawk Housing Area, Loring Village consists of 16 housing structures, each containing multiple housing units, and was named after U.S. Air Force Major Charles Loring, Consisting of two five-story towers, the housing area includes three-, four- and five bedroom units, as well as outdoor barbecue areas, a basketball court and underground parking facility. The towers were named after Army 1st Lt. Lloyd L. Burke, The ACOE competition recognizes excellence in installation management and encourages and rewards installations that optimize opportunities and demonstrate a commitment to service and excellence.

Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital

Yongsan Garrison was home to the Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital (BAACH). The main tenant unit residing in BAACH was the 121st Combat Support Hospital, providing the staff for inpatient and outpatient care. The staff included a mix of active duty soldiers, civilians employees, and Korean employees. It was originally activated in 1944 as the 121st Evacuation Hospital, Semimobile. It participated in the European Theater during World War II and in the Korean War. In September 2019, BAACH completed its relocation from Yongsan to Camp Humphreys.

Department of Defense Dependent Schools

Seoul American High School (SAHS) is on Yongsan Garrison. The school complex comprises eight buildings, containing over 60 classrooms and special purpose rooms. (SAES) are on Yongsan Garrison. In 2008, to accommodate an increase in student population, a classroom building was constructed on the SAMS campus. The new building's six classrooms – each – accommodate up to about 170 Department of Defense Dependent Schools students. The SAES campus consists of seven buildings and a cafeteria.

Camp Kim

Camp Kim is adjacent to Yongsan Garrison and home to a USO facility, an Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) distribution and storage facility, an AAFES vehicle repair facility, the Special Operations Command Korea, and the garrison office for vehicle registration and decals.

The USO facility consists of a canteen, tour and ticket office, the Virtues Development Program, the Good Neighbor Program, a big screen television lounge. The Virtues Development Program and the Good Neighbor Program are Community Outreach Programs designed to promote cross-cultural understanding through English education for Korean school-age children.

Image:BrianAllgoodArmyCommunityHospital.JPG|Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital, Yongsan Garrison, March 2009

Image:Seoulamericanhighgraduation.jpg|Seoul American High School Graduation Ceremony, Yongsan Garrison, June 2008

Image:YongsanSportsField.jpg|8th Army Good Neighbor Program youth soccer team, Yongsan Garrison. Lloyd L. Burke Towers housing area seen in the background, April 2008

Image:SeoulAmericanMiddleSchool1.jpg|Seoul American Middle School class picture, Yongsan Garrison. 1 October 2008.

Image:ROKdrillteam.jpg|A South Korean military drill team performs during the Fall Festival Parade, Yongsan Garrison on 11 October 2008.

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Legacy

As countless USFK personnel as well as Korean civilians have lived and worked on post, Yongsan Garrison has had far-reaching influence on Korea's society and development. Historians have been rushing to archive Yongsan's history, tracing its influence in areas including music, art, cuisine, medicine, engineering and so on, for the Yongsan Legacy project so it won't be forgotten after physical traces have disappeared.

References

External links

U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan Official Site
IMCOM Pacific Region Official Site
Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital (121st Combat Support Hospital)
USAG Yongsan Official YouTube News Video Channel
Seoul American High School
Seoul American Middle School
Department of Defense Dependent Schools – Pacific
Department of Defense Education Activity
Yongsan Army Garrison
USFK Good Neighbor Program