Renovation work at an old shooting range used by U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, has aroused concerns among local residents that the site may pose a threat to public safety. Making matters worse is the fact the city government had not been aware of the start of renovation work until media outlets reported the news recently.
In the wake of the public and political outcry, the Ministry of National Defense and the USFK have agreed to put the construction on hold temporarily, according to the ministry, Friday. The decision came after Changwon Mayor Hong Nam-pyo lodged an official complaint to both sides, Thursday.
The modernization of the facility, which was created by bulldozing trees and left a naked patch of earth on Mount Palyong, started about two months ago, aimed at strengthening the site’s safety fence and fixing its sewage system. The renovation was supposed to be completed by July 2024.
Hardly anyone lived near the site when it was built in 1972. However, thanks to the central government’s plan to develop the city, over 1 million citizens now reside in Changwon, including 100,000 residents in the district of Uichang, where the shooting range is located.
Masan Range of the USFK on Mount Palyong in Changwon, South Gyeongang Province, is under renovation, Wednesday. Yonhap
After learning about the renovation, residents rallied in front of Changwon City Hall on Thursday morning, protesting the renovation work and demanding that the site be shut down immediately.
They said the site threatens residents living in apartment complexes, located just 1 kilometer away from the shooting range, while shopping centers, hospitals, a bus terminal and industrial complexes are also adjacent. The locals said the apartment residents can open windows from their homes and see the site clearly, all the while worrying about the possibility of stray artillery shells, a concern they’ve expressed on the local government’s website.
Despite the local concerns, the issue is not expected to be resolved quickly due to the USFK’s rights on land granted to the U.S. by the Korean government for military use. The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Korea and the United States that went into force in 1976 states that the USFK’s use of such land in Korea falls under the American military’s authority and it is not necessary for the U.S. to discuss construction on such sites with local governments.
Changwon Mayor Hong Nam-pyo talks to reporters about the USFK’s shooting range issue at the city hall, Thursday. Courtesy of Changwon City Government
The mayor asked the defense ministry to stop the renovation immediately, host a special town hall meeting to explain the issue to residents, allow the city government to inspect the site, and ultimately relocate the shooting range.
One resident wrote on the city government’s website, Thursday, “The fact that the city government didn’t even know about this is utterly dumbfounding. We local Koreans almost got undermined by those Americans.”
Following the protests, the defense ministry announced that the renovation was halted, but added there still might be a need for further repairs to the rainwater sewage system and other parts to keep the site from being destroyed by downpours or landslides.
It added that the site has been used as a shooting range since 1972 until recently and there had been no complaints from residents regarding noise or other issues.
The U.S. side told The Korea Times, Friday that it will keep discussing the matter with the defense ministry. “Our future agenda on the issue will be publicly informed to Korea through the ministry from now on,” said Yang Byeong-yong, a spokesperson for the Eighth United States Army.
