VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #0576/01 0990626
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090626Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3957
INFO RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 3194
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 8879
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5645
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1560
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//OSD/ISA/EAP//
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/COMUSFK SEOUL KOR
RUACAAA/COMUSKOREA INTEL SEOUL KOR
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 3838
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1224
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 9521
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1840
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 4196
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5736
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR 1802
RUEHUL/USDAO SEOUL KOR
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0817

UNCLAS SEOUL 000576 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR EINV KS
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HIALEAH WITH AN EAGER BUSAN 
MAYOR 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik called on 
Ambassador Stephens on April 2 to thank her for progress on 
the Joint Assessment Environmental Procedure affecting the 
return of Camp Hialeah.  The Ambassador and Mayor agreed that 
a quick and smooth return is in both countries' interests. 
For economic and political reasons, Mayor Hur is eager for U.S. 
Forces Korea (USFK) to turn over Camp Hialeah so he can 
transform it into a major park in Busan.  In addition to 
contacting the Embassy and APP Busan on Hialeah, Mayor Hur is 
communicating directly with the Ministry of Environment and 
the Foreign Ministry to try to expedite the camp's return. 
END SUMMARY 
 
USING MEETINGS AND PRESS STATEMENTS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On April 2, Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik called on 
Ambassador Stephens to express thanks for her work on the 
recent agreement on the Joint Assessment Environmental 
Procedure (JEAP).  The Ambassador and Mayor Hur agreed that 
returning Hialeah quickly is a shared goal of all involved 
parties.  The Ambassador also emphasized that, as allies, the 
U.S. and ROK should be able to overcome any differences that 
arise during the handover process, allowing the environmental 
assessment to be completed in a spirit of cooperation.  Mayor 
Hur shared that Busan City has directly contacted the 
Environment Ministry and Foreign Ministry to ask that they 
expeditiously implement the JEAP.  He also commented that 
Busan City has completed its plans and secured the budget for 
a park to be built in Hialeah's stead, and is ready to act as 
soon as the camp is returned. 
 
¶3. (U) Mayor Hur's call on the Ambassador followed a March 19 
press conference at Busan City Hall in which he acknowledged 
the March 18 JEAP agreement between the USFK and ROKG, thanked 
the Ambassador for her role in supporting the agreement, and 
publicly discussed Busan City's preparations to convert Camp 
Hialeah into a park.  Although USFK and the ROKG reached 
agreement on the JEAP on March 18, it was not finalized until 
March 20, making Mayor Hur's announcement the first public 
announcement, prior to an announcement by either the ROKG or 
USFK. 
 
COMMENT: BUSAN, AN ANXIOUS ALLY 
------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Understandably, Mayor Hur is eager to receive the 
land on which Hialeah resides and turn it into a park.  To 
expedite its opening to the public, Busan City plans to open 
certain sections of the camp as a park while it is renovating 
the rest.   Camp Hialeah is the only remaining piece of 
undeveloped property in the downtown area.  The city plans on 
making it a first-class park and then renovating and 
developing the surrounding areas into commercial and 
residential real estate.  The project promises to infuse much 
needed funds into downtown Busan, which has lost much of its 
industry to cheaper rural areas and to overseas destinations 
with lower labor costs. 
 
¶5. (SBU) With the 2010 local elections approaching, Mayor Hur 
sees in Hialeah an opportunity to boost his political capital. 
Hur will seek political mileage on anything connected with the 
return of Hialeah, including meetings with the Ambassador and 
senior ROKG officials working this issue.  For the Embassy and 
USFK, there is little or no downside to Mayor Hur's dedication, 
because our goal is the same: an early return of Camp Hialeah 
to the Korea. 
 
STEPHENS