The U.S. military opened a $750,000 indoor swimming pool Tuesday on K-16 Air Base in Seoul.
The 20-meter, five-lane, heated pool sits under a retractable roof, which can be opened for summer use, according to an Army news release.
"This is bought and paid for with profits from MWR facilities," Paul Robinson, U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation director, said in the release. "This is the community reinvesting in itself."
K-16 is what the Army calls an "enduring installation," meaning it will not close when the Army moves to Camp Humphreys in coming years. It’s home to about 1,000 U.S. troops and family members who have long been vocal about wanting better quality of life.
According to the release, officials are also working on opening a commissary at K-16. The nearest commissary is at Yongsan Garrison, which can be an hourlong, one-way commute in Seoul traffic. Yongsan is also slated to close when the military moves.
"This is a grass-roots effort to support our family members in the Seongnam area," garrison commander Col. Dave Hall said in the release.
Robinson also announced that FMWR is going to build a $3.2 million multipurpose sports field at K-16 this year. The field will feature artificial turf, lights, dugouts, fencing, a scoreboard and a four-lane running track, according to the release.