U.S. and Republic of Korea officials broke ground on the U.S. Korea Command Operations Center Thursday, July 18, at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys. The operations center will be the first building of the U.S. Korean Command headquarters complex.
Maj. Gen. Paul Crandall, U.S. Forces Korea Deputy Chief of Staff for Transformation and Restationing, was the guest speaker for the event. Also speaking were the Ministry of National Defense U.S. Forces Korea Relocation Office chief director Kim, Kie-soo; vice president of Daelim Construction Lee, Kee-wook ; and commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Far East District Col. Bryan Green.
During his remarks, Crandall spoke about how the operations center is more than just a building. "Today's ceremony is truly symbolic of the tireless efforts of the U.S. and ROK, working side by side over the past 60 years in the defense of the Republic of Korea," said Crandall. "This facility is the epitome of what can happen when dedicated people collaborate unselfishly to achieve a common goal."
"As we move from the conceptual phase into the actual work phase today, we will all continue to focus our efforts to make sure this facility is done right, finished on schedule, and within budget," said Crandall. Chief Director Kim also said the operations center will "play a leading and essential role in the future of the ROK-U.S. alliance." U.S. Korea Command will replace U.S. Forces Korea as the headquarters for U.S. forces on the peninsula after the turnover of operational control to the Republic of Korea.
Social Sharing