![Yongsan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Yongsan.jpg)
Yongsan Garrison ( ko, 용산기지;
Hanja
Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom.
(, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, wh ...
: ), meaning "dragon hill
garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
," is an area located in the
Yongsan District
Yongsan District (, ) is one of the 25 List of districts of Seoul, districts of Seoul, South Korea.
Yongsan has a population of 231,685 (2020) and has a geographic area of , and is divided into 19 ''Dong (administrative division), dong'' (adminis ...
of central
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. The site served as the headquarters for U.S. military forces stationed in South Korea, known as
United States Forces Korea
United States Forces Korea (USFK) is a Unified Combatant Command#Subordinate Unified Command, sub-unified command of United States Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). USFK is the joint headquarters for U.S. combat-re ...
(USFK), and as United States Army
Garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
Yongsan (USAG-Yongsan) until 2018, under the supervision of the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
's
Installation Management Command
The United States Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) is a support formation of the United States Army responsible for the day-to-day management of Army installations around the globe. Army garrisons are communities that provide many o ...
Pacific Region.
From 1910 to 1945 it served as headquarters for the
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
in
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
.
The USFK headquarters relocated to the new $11 billion
Camp Humphreys
Camp Humphreys ( ko, 캠프 험프리스), also known as United States Army Garrison-Humphreys (USAG-H), is a United States Army garrison located near Anjeong-ri and Pyeongtaek metropolitan areas in South Korea. Camp Humphreys is home to Des ...
in
Pyeongtaek
Pyeongtaek () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home to ...
south of Seoul in 2018, as part of the Yongsan Relocation Plan. 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
Dragon Hill Lodge is a U.S. Department of Defense - owned hotel in Seoul, South Korea. It is co-located with and is a part of the Yongsan Garrison (which means "Dragon Mountain" in Korean) military community.
The Lodge is an Armed Forces Rec ...
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
Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on affo ...
.
History
Yongsan land had traditionally been the site of military facilities under former Korean kingdoms. In 1882,
Qing troops used it during the
Imo Incident
The Imo Incident, also sometimes known as the Imo Mutiny, Soldier's riot or Jingo-gunran in Japanese, was a violent uprising and riot in Seoul beginning on July 23, 1882, by soldiers of the Joseon Army who were later joined by disaffected members ...
. During those times, Korean and Japanese garrisons were on the outskirts of the city in mostly undeveloped land. The
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
originally created it as a garrison and from 1910 to 1945 it served as its headquarters. Since then, the city of
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
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 November 1992 some 297,000 square meters (77 acres) of land, including a golf course, was given back to the City of Seoul to become
Yongsan Family Park and the site of the recently opened
National Museum of Korea
The National Museum of Korea is the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea and is the cultural organization that represents Korea. Since its establishment in 1945, the museum has been committed to various studies and research a ...
. The opening of the completed National Museum was delayed several years while the fate of a U.S. Army helicopter landing facility (H-208) was decided (its approach path and landing pads were directly in front of the museum).
In April 2003 South Korea and the United States agreed on the early relocation of Yongsan garrison outside of central Seoul.
In August 2008, U.S. President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
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.
During his speech, Bush said,"Fifty-five years have passed since the guns went quiet and the cease-fire was signed on this peninsula, and since that time our forces have kept the peace. Our nations have built a robust alliance".
He also said that the U.S. would keep its military in South Korea, while returning some bases to South Korean control.
In February 2009, Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
visited senior U.S. and South Korean military leaders at the
Combined Forces Command headquarters at Yongsan Garrison on her first official trip overseas as the United States' Secretary of State.
In 2009 ''
The Korea Times
''The Korea Times'' is the oldest of three English-language newspapers published daily in South Korea. It is a sister paper of the ''Hankook Ilbo'', a major Korean language daily; both are owned by Dongwha Enterprise, a wood-based manufacturer ...
'' reported that defense ministry officials said that South Korea and the United States have agreed to complete the relocation of the U.S. military headquarters in Yongsan to an expanded military base in
Pyeongtaek
Pyeongtaek () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home to ...
,
Gyeonggi Province
Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
, by 2014. 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
Dongducheon () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.
The city, to the north of Seoul, is strategically important for the defense of the Korean capital. The main camps of the United States Second Infantry Division are in the city, and the d ...
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
A commissary is a government official charged with oversight or an ecclesiastical official who exercises in special circumstances the jurisdiction of a bishop.
In many countries, the term is used as an administrative or police title. It often c ...
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
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
(USO), child development centers, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an automotive care center, and a self-service gas station.
The garrison is also home to the
Dragon Hill Lodge
Dragon Hill Lodge is a U.S. Department of Defense - owned hotel in Seoul, South Korea. It is co-located with and is a part of the Yongsan Garrison (which means "Dragon Mountain" in Korean) military community.
The Lodge is an Armed Forces Rec ...
,
a hotel which is operated as an
Armed Forces Recreation Center
Armed Forces Recreation Centers (AFRCs) are a chain of Joint Service Facility resorts hotels owned by the United States Department of Defense to provide rest and relaxation in the form of lodging and outdoor recreation for United States military s ...
by the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
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
2) on Yongsan Garrison's northern edge, is named after 2nd Lt. Randall Coiner, a
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
Silver Star
The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
recipient. Until 2014, it also an supported an outlying U.S. Army housing area called Hannam Village in
Hannam-dong
Hannam-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Yongsan-gu in Seoul, South Korea. One of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country, it has been portrayed continuously in South Korea's popular culture as a wealthy and luxurious spot, and for this ...
; that site was sold in 2016 to private developers and, as of 2018, redevelopment as luxury housing was underway. After the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
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
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his service during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, 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
Town hall meetings, also referred to as town halls or town hall forums, are a way for local and national politicians to meet with their constituents either to hear from them on topics of interest or to discuss specific upcoming legislation or ...
.
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
The War Memorial of Korea is a museum located in Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to exhibit and memorialize the military history of Korea. It was built for the purpose ...
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
Itaewon (; IPA ) is multi-cultural commercial area located in Seoul, South Korea. it is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Seoul, known for its nightlife and trendy restaurants.
Etymology
The name Itaewon was originally derived from the n ...
, with westernized shopping and nightlife. To the west of Yongsan is the
Samgakji subway station and
Yongsan Electronics Market
Yongsan Electronics Market is a retail area in Seoul, South Korea. Comprising over 20 buildings, housing 5,000 stores that sell appliances, stereos, computers and peripherals, office equipment, telephones, lighting equipment, electronic games an ...
.
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
![PresidentBushYongsan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/PresidentBushYongsan.JPG)
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
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
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
The United States Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) is a support formation of the United States Army responsible for the day-to-day management of Army installations around the globe. Army garrisons are communities that provide many o ...
headquartered in
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
.
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."
During the ceremony, the Yongsan Garrison commander cited recent improvements to family programs at the USAG-Yongsan, such as elimination of initial registration fees for child care, extended hours for respite care and extended-duty child care, and expanded programs for teens and after-school care, including youth sports.
The Army committed $1.4 billion to family programs in fiscal 2008.
Army Family Housing
The garrison's primary housing areas 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
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
Major Charles Loring,
who was posthumously awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his service during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. In 2004, South Korean-funded construction of the Lloyd L. Burke Towers (commonly known as Burke Towers) was completed . 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,
who was awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his service during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. Watkins Ridge housing area consists of 23 housing structures, each containing multiple housing units, and was named after Army Master Sergeant Travis Watkins,
who was posthumously awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his service during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. Krzyzowski Hills housing area consists of 10 housing structures, with multiple housing units each and named after Army Captain Edward Krzyzowski, who was posthumously awarded the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
for his service during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
.
Unaccompanied military personnel are assigned to Unaccompanied Personnel Housing on-post such as barracks, Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ), Senior Enlisted Quarters (SEQ), or Bachelor Officer Quarters (BOQ). When on-post housing is not available, unaccompanied military personnel are assigned to off-post quarters.
Army Community of Excellence
In 2008, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody recognized Yongsan Garrison as one of the top three U.S. Army Installations in the World
and recognized the garrison by declaring it an Army Community of Excellence.
The ACOE competition recognizes excellence in installation management and encourages and rewards installations that optimize opportunities and demonstrate a commitment to service and excellence.
Of 179 Army installations, Yongsan placed third behind second-place Fort George G. Meade, Md., and first-place finisher Fort A.P. Hill, Va.
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.
It has served continuously in Korea as a field unit since 25 September 1950 and as fixed medical treatment facility, Seoul Military Hospital, since 1959.
In 1971, Seoul Military Hospital merged with the 121st Evacuation Hospital to become the U.S. Army Hospital, Seoul (121st Evacuation Hospital). On 16 April 1994, the 121st Evacuation Hospital reorganized and was redesignated the 121st General Hospital.
On 30 June 2008 the facility was formally renamed the Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital.
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
Allgood served as the commander at this hospital from June 2004 through June 2006.
Allgood's final assignment was July 2006 when he was posted as the Command Surgeon Multi-National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I). On 20 January 2007, he, along with 11 other U.S. service members, were killed in action when their UH-60 helicopter was shot down by enemy rocket fire in Iraq. 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.
The school has two combination faculty lounges and work areas.
A library/media center houses 12,000 books and audio visual materials. The educator staff of 70 is composed of the Department of Defense Dependent Schools education specialists and classroom teachers.
SAHS opened in 1959 with approximately 150 students.
The first class graduated in 1960.
The classrooms at that time were Quonset huts located across from the main Army Community Service building.
Taegu, Pusan, and Chinhae students boarded at SAHS as there were no high schools in those areas until 1967.
In the fall of 1967, Taegu opened its high school, which alleviated the long drive for students. Construction began on the new high school in 1981 and was completed in the fall of 1982.
In addition to the main, arts, and gymnasium buildings a new structure which includes a JROTC section was opened in 1987.
The JROTC facilities have two classrooms, three offices, supply room, arms room, four-point indoor rifle range, and a hard top area used for inspections and drills. Additionally, JROTC formal inspections are held on the Falcon Fields, the school's full-sized artificial turf football and soccer field. School year, 1995–96 Seoul American High School had 550 students. This year enrollment is 630. SAHS is one of the larger schools in DoDDS Pacific and has a reputation for being one of the leading academic schools. Every year SAHS ranks in the top 15%
of high schools academics.
Over the summer of 2009, SAHS Football/soccer field recently had "stadium lights" placed along the side of the fields, which can be easily seen when driving by the field, fulfilling their part in the "American Dream". The tennis court was also taken out and replaced with a new building due to an influx of students from the states.
Seoul American Middle School (SAMS) and Seoul American Elementary School
(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.
The main building houses primary classrooms, the Information Center, the Dolphin Theater, and computer labs. Grades 3, 4 and 5 and some Kindergarten classrooms are located in outlying buildings.
SAES is one of the largest schools in DoDDS and ranked as one of the highest in academic performance. There are about 1,100 students at Seoul American Elementary School. The staff consists of over 90 professional educators, 20 educational aides and 10 clerical personnel. The school's curriculum is based on the U.S. national standards with special classes including art, music, physical education, computer and Korean culture.
Environmental problems
Since 2004, the metropolitan government has tried to clean up high levels of benzene and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in areas adjacent to the Yongsan base, such as Noksapyeong Station.
Camp Kim
Camp Kim is adjacent to Yongsan Garrison. and home to a
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
facility, an
Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) distribution and storage facility, an AAFES vehicle repair facility, the
Special Operations Command Korea
Special Operations Command Korea or SOCKOR, the United States (U.S.) Theater Special Operations Command (TSOC) in the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a Sub-Unified Command assigned under the Combatant Command (COCOM) of United States Special Operati ...
, 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
Seoul American High School often abbreviated as SAHS was a secondary school in Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, South Korea operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA).
The school was part of the Pacific West District of the Depa ...
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.
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.
See also
*
2nd Infantry Division (United States)
The 2nd Infantry Division (2ID, 2nd ID) ("Indianhead") is a formation of the United States Army. Its current primary mission is the pre-emptive defense of South Korea in the event of an invasion from North Korea. There are approximately 17,000 so ...
*
Anti-American sentiment in Korea
Anti-American sentiments in Korea began with the earliest contact between the two nations and continued after the division of Korea. In both North Korea and South Korea, anti-Americanism after the Korean War has focused on the presence and behav ...
*
Department of Defense Dependents Schools
The Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) are a network of schools, both primary and secondary, that serve the dependents of United States military and civilian United States Department of Defense (DoD) personnel in three areas of the ...
**
Eighth United States Army
The Eighth Army is a U.S. field army which is the commanding formation of all United States Army United States Forces Korea, forces in South Korea. It commands U.S. and South Korean units and is headquartered at the Camp Humphreys, Army and Air Force Exchange Service
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES, also referred to as The Exchange and The PX or The BX) is the retailer in U.S. Army and Air Force installations worldwide. The Exchange is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and its director/chief exe ...
References
External links
U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan Official SiteIMCOM Pacific Region Official SiteBrian Allgood Army Community Hospital (121st Combat Support Hospital)USAG Yongsan Official YouTube News Video ChannelSeoul American High SchoolSeoul American Middle SchoolDepartment of Defense Dependent Schools – PacificDepartment of Defense Education ActivityUSFK Good Neighbor Program
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Military installations of the United States in South Korea
Geography of Seoul
History of Seoul
United States Army posts
Yongsan District