Army takes keys to new, $130 million barracks at South Korea headquarters

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — More than 900 unaccompanied enlisted soldiers will soon occupy three newly constructed barracks at Camp Humphreys, the largest U.S. military installation overseas, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

The engineers’ Far East District turned over the $130 million project to the Army garrison Wednesday, according to an Army news release that day. 

The project includes three eight-story buildings, each capable of housing over 300 service members, according to the release. 

Soldiers may start moving into the barracks in the fall, Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Rachel Napolitan said by email Friday. 

The new $130 million unaccompanied enlisted barracks project at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, completed construction and was turned over to the U.S. Army Garrison on July 8, 2026. (Rachel Napolitan/U.S. Army)

The new barracks still need to be outfitted with furniture, security locks and other furnishings before they are move-in ready. 

Each two-bedroom suite has a kitchenette and shared bathroom, with washers and dryers available on every floor. Common areas near the elevators also provide shared gathering spaces that soldiers can furnish themselves. 

Outdoor amenities include multipurpose recreation courts, bike racks, gazebos and barbecue shelters.

Although the new barracks follow the Army’s standard design, the district incorporated several practical upgrades based on previous residents’ feedback, Nathan Han, resident engineer for the Far East District, said in the release. 

The improvements include increasing the number of dryers relative to washers, improving air circulation, updating outdoor equipment and resolving ongoing maintenance issues. 

These modern facilities are going to provide the high quality of life soldiers deserve, Samuel Brooks, Humphreys’ housing chief, said in the release. 

The barracks are located across the street from the golf course, adjacent to the barracks that opened in June 2024. 

That $67 million project added 151 suites capable of housing more than 600 single soldiers.

The project was funded by South Korea as part of the Special Measures Agreement, Napolitan said. 

That agreement stipulates that Washington and Seoul share the cost of stationing roughly 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea. 

Under the current five-year agreement, which took effect this year and runs through 2030, South Korea will contribute roughly $1.1 billion this year toward the cost of hosting U.S. Forces Korea, with annual increases tied to inflation.

Another four barracks buildings are under construction at Humphreys under a separate project and are scheduled to be completed later this year, according to the release. 

Located about 40 miles south of Seoul, Camp Humphreys serves as the headquarters for U.S. Forces Korea, U.N. Command, Combined Forces Command, Eighth Army and the 2nd Infantry Division.