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C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000592 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR VICTOR CHA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2021 
TAGS: PREL MARR SENV KS
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF USFK BASES -- ISSUE 
FOR PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR SONG 
 
Classified By: Amb. Alexander Vershbow.  Reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action request. 
 
¶2.  (C) The return of closed U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) bases 
to the ROK has been delayed by an impasse over environmental 
remediation.  The delay is slowing down progress on base 
relocation/consolidation, a centerpiece of the ongoing 
realignment of our military presence on the Peninsula.  It is 
also causing USFK to expend hundreds of thousands of dollars 
a month to maintain security on the vacated bases.  In an 
effort to accommodate ROK concerns and sensitivities, USFK 
proposed a compromise solution late last month.  Despite 
earlier indications that the proposal would be accepted, the 
ROKG recently has asked the U.S. to consider "technical 
adjustments" to the U.S. proposal.  In fact, however, the 
ROKG's "technical adjustments" would amount to a 
substantively different undertaking.  We have made clear to 
the ROKG that the proposal could not be renegotiated and have 
urged the ROKG to settle the issue quickly.  The Ambassador 
and USFK Commander General Bell on February 22 conveyed this 
message to Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon and Blue House NSA 
Song Min-soon (septel), and DUSD Lawless did so with a ROK 
interagency delegation during the last round of Security 
Policy Initiative talks last week. 
 
¶3. (C) Citing domestic political considerations including the 
upcoming May 31 local elections, NGO interest and interagency 
wrangling, our MOFAT and Blue House interlocutors have 
indicated that the ROKG will need more time to work the 
issue.  However, we believe it is important to at least reach 
an agreement in principle on the latest U.S. proposal, 
deferring public announcements and technical discussions to a 
later point if/as necessary.  Presidential Secretary Song 
Min-soon, who plays a critical role on this issue, will be in 
Washington February 23-24 for meetings with NSA Hadley and 
other senior officials.  We recommend NSA Hadley and others 
reinforce our message to Song, drawing on the following 
talking points: 
 
-- Extremely concerned about the impasse over environmental 
remediation of closed USFK bases.  The impasse is delaying 
our return of valuable land to the Korean people.  It is also 
slowing progress on our base relocation and consolidation, a 
core element of the major realignment effort initiated under 
the Future of the Alliance Initiative.  Need to settle the 
issue quickly. 
 
-- As Ambassador Vershbow and General Bell made clear to you 
earlier this week, the last U.S. proposal represents a 
good-faith effort by the U.S. to accommodate ROK concerns and 
goes well beyond requirements under the SOFA.  It is our best 
and final offer.  We urge the ROKG to accept the proposal. 
 
-- We have to find a way forward quickly.  If important 
considerations require you to delay public announcement or 
detailed technical discussions until later, we should at 
least reach an agreement in principle on our proposal now so 
that we can remove this difficult issue from our list of 
problems. 
 
¶4.  (U) This message has been coordinated with USFK. 
VERSHBOW