POV registration now open on Casey

By Jamal WalkerMay 12, 2010

POV registration now open on Casey
Yu In-seon, acting mayor of Dongducheon (left) and Col. Larry 'Pepper' Jackson sign an Memorandum of Agreement for vehicle registration in Dongducheon City Hall. The Vehicle Registration Office is located in the Pass and ID office inside Casey Garris... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

DONGDUCHEON CITY South Korea - A new agreement between Dongducheon City, Casey Garrison and the Directorate of Emergency Services is now making it easier for Status of Forces Agreement cardholders in Red Cloud Garrison to register their privately owned vehicles.

The memorandum of agreement was signed April 28 in Dongducheon City Hall by Col. Larry "Pepper" Jackson, Red Cloud Garrison commander, and Yu In-seon, acting mayor of Dongducheon, will enable Soldiers and Civilians to complete their automobile registration at Casey Garrison and eliminate an unnecessary trip to Seoul. The Vehicle Registration Office is located in the Pass and ID office inside Casey Garrison's Maude Hall.

"Through this MOA we are strengthening our mutual friendship between Dongducheon City and the U.S. Army serving in Korea," Yu said.

In the past, Red Cloud Garrison personnel needing to register their vehicles had to make an appointment at the Vehicle Registration office on Camp Kim in Seoul.

Elliott Bradley, Red Cloud Garrison DES deputy director, said the process could take an entire business day from traveling to the Seoul, waiting in lines, and filling out the necessary documents.

"Historically all personnel in Red Cloud had to go to Yongsan, no matter what, to register a vehicle," he said. "Before tour normalization began, we started working on how we can serve our customers better here in Red Cloud Garrison.

"We worked with the city officials and asked them to support us with registering SOFA plated vehicles."

The city acted on the garrison's request by hiring a dedicated agent to handle SOFA vehicle registration. The agent will collect the registration documents from DES and then submit them to the Dongducheon Transportation Administration Division every Tuesday. License plates and supporting registration documents will be issued on Thursdays.

The cost of registration is 3,000 Korean won, according to officials in the Vehicle Registration Office. The fee cannot be paid in U.S. dollars.

"We are trying to save time and provide everything Soldiers will need to register their vehicles on Casey," Bradley said about the new registration renewal process.

"We are indeed truly proud and happy to allow our Soldiers and Civilians to register their vehicles in the garrison instead of going to Camp Kim," Jackson said. "Instead of taking a two-hour trip to Seoul, now personnel can simply take a quick ride to Casey Garrison and register their vehicles, which I know is very convenient for our Soldiers and Civilians in the garrison. This, once again, shows the strength of our friendship with the Korean people."