Joint Security Area Quietly Handed Over To ROK Forces
The end of an era
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After more than half a century of guarding freedom's frontier, the United States Forces Korea (USFK) have pulled the last security elements off the front line. Check this article out for more information - Big Changes in JSA as USFK Transfers Duties to Korean Military.
This marks a continued effort by USFK to realign the troops on the peninsula. A few years back, USFK pulled most of the 2nd Infantry Division troops back a little and relinquished control and responsibility for security for the DMZ. At the time, the JSA guard unit was the only place where US Soldiers were on the 'front line' and it was comprised of about 30% US Soldiers. Now, that number has been cut back to about 7% and the remaining troops are there for administrative and tourism purposes, not security.
Much of USFK remains in the 'reach out and touch you' range of North Korean forces, but they are no longer within spitting distance of the border. This, too, will change over the next few years as USFK already has plans set in motion to remove almost all of its troops from Seoul and parts north of Seoul. Also, one brigade of the 2nd ID has already been redeployed from Korea to Iraq. When that brigade rotates out, it is destined to return to the states, not Korea.
This marks a continued effort by USFK to realign the troops on the peninsula. A few years back, USFK pulled most of the 2nd Infantry Division troops back a little and relinquished control and responsibility for security for the DMZ. At the time, the JSA guard unit was the only place where US Soldiers were on the 'front line' and it was comprised of about 30% US Soldiers. Now, that number has been cut back to about 7% and the remaining troops are there for administrative and tourism purposes, not security.
Much of USFK remains in the 'reach out and touch you' range of North Korean forces, but they are no longer within spitting distance of the border. This, too, will change over the next few years as USFK already has plans set in motion to remove almost all of its troops from Seoul and parts north of Seoul. Also, one brigade of the 2nd ID has already been redeployed from Korea to Iraq. When that brigade rotates out, it is destined to return to the states, not Korea.
