<b>YONGSAN GARRISON, Republic of Korea </b> - The first of seven automated pedestrian entry gates at Yongsan arrived April 25.
The Enhanced Security Pedestrian Gate is in-place at Gate 19 near the 121st Combat Support Hospital and will be operational in early June after it undergoes a series of tests.
"This system will definitely help enhance our force protection since the system allows entrance to the post based on two identification checks -- the ID card and fingerprint," said Ricky Oxendine, USAG-Yongsan Emergency Services director.
Users will first swipe their ID cards to open the access door. Once inside, a valid fingerprint match will open the second door to allow post access. One person at a time is allowed through the gate.
The entire entry process takes about 12 to 15 seconds, said Sgt. 1st Class Robb Kubiak, U.S. Forces Korea physical security and force protection noncommissioned officer-in-charge.
"Pedestrians must have their ID cards and fingerprints properly registered in the Defense Biometric Identification System," Kubiak said. "The system will only recognize what is registered in DBIDs."
DBIDS is the identification verification system that security personnel use to identify, control and account for personnel entering military installations using biometric and barcode technologies.
Military Police will monitor the gate 24 hours a day through closed-circuit television and can talk to pedestrians via a speaker system, Kubiak said. For pedestrians with strollers or small children, MPs can override the system to allow access with positive identification.
Col. Dave Hall, USAG-Yongsan commander, said the system is state-of-the-art and will provide important security upgrades to force protection.
"These systems were successfully fielded in Europe, and we are looking forward to using them here," Hall said.
Yongsan is the first installation in Korea to receive the system, Kubiak said. A second system will be installed at USAG-Daegu.
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