Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, D-American Samoa, standing, and a group of U.S. servicemembers from American Samoa sing a traditional song to U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., House International Relations Committee chairman, on Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, on Thursday. (T.D. Flack / S&S)
SEOUL — The South Korean government is moving to build a state-of-the-art military air-to-ground range as requested by the U.S. military, South Korean officials confirmed Thursday.
South Korean Ministry of National Defense spokesman Col. Kang Yong-hee told Stars and Stripes that the country plans to build the high-tech range on Chikdo island in North Cholla province. The new range will use a Weapons Impact Scoring System, he said.
He said he couldn’t confirm South Korean news reports that construction on the $3 million range is to begin prior to U.S.-South Korea Security Consultative Meetings in October in Washington, D.C.
According to local news reports, video cameras mounted on 50-foot towers will score bombing practice on the range.
During an interview with Stripes in late July, U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. B.B. Bell said any new range would require those sort of electronic devices to keep aircrews combat-ready.
Bell said any new range would require those sort of electronic devices to keep aircrews combat-ready.
“You’re not just looking for a splash of water or a big field of dirt somewhere. You’re looking … to score the capabilities of these aircrews,” he said.
The issue arose after South Korea closed the Kooni Range Complex in August 2005.
With the one-year anniversary of the closing approaching without South Korea having named a replacement range, Bell brought the issue to Korean National Security Assembly Security Forum during a July 13 speech.
He told Stripes, “One thing is for sure: We are not going to allow American aircrews to go into a war, or to propose that they can deter a war, unless they’re trained and ready. If I can’t get access to an air-to-ground range, I’m going to have to do something.”
And House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry J. Hyde, R-Ill., confirmed that Bell’s message was heard at South Korea’s highest governmental levels.
Hyde, leading a five-member congressional delegation to three Asian nations, said South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun discussed the issue during a meeting early Thursday. Hyde said that Roh, asked about the lack of a training range for U.S. pilots, responded, “I will do my best.”
Hyde made the comments Thursday during lunch at the Three Kingdoms dining facility on the U.S. Army’s Yongsan Garrison in Seoul.
Delegation members Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif.; Melvin L. Watt, D-N.C.; Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; and Democrat Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, who represents America Samoa in the House, joined Hyde for lunch on the base, shaking hands and posing for pictures with the troops.
