Residents of Dongducheon hold a relay protest in front of Camp Casey. (Image courtesy of Dongducheon City)
DONGDUCHEON, May 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Residents of Dongducheon, a city long shaped by its role as host to U.S. military forces, have staged daily protests for over a month in front of Camp Casey, demanding that the South Korean government honor compensation and development pledges made more than a decade ago.
Since April 21, citizens have taken turns holding one-person relay protests every morning outside the 2nd Infantry Division base, calling on the central government to fulfill promises made in 2014 when a decision was made to retain a portion of the U.S. military presence in the area.
At that time, the government pledged four key initiatives: formation of a local development task force, the creation of a 990,000-square-meter national industrial complex in Sangpae-dong, state-led redevelopment of returned military land, and upgrades to local infrastructure. But only partial progress has been made on one of these fronts, while the others remain unaddressed.
The first phase of the industrial complex — covering roughly a quarter of the planned area — is slated for completion by the end of this year, but sluggish land sales are casting doubt on future development.
Meanwhile, the return of U.S. military land, originally scheduled for completion by 2016, has been repeatedly delayed, most recently postponed until South Korea’s firepower capabilities are “verified,” a milestone without a clear timeline.
While 23.21 square kilometers of former base land has been returned to date, nearly 99% of it is mountainous and largely unsuitable for redevelopment. Crucially, four active bases — including Camp Casey — remain embedded in the city center. Officials and residents argue that redevelopment and revitalization are impossible without the return of these sites.
In 1951, a U.S. military base was established in Dongducheon, leading to the formation of a “base town” centered around Bosan-dong. As people from outside the region moved in, Idam-myeon in Yangju County, Gyeonggi Province, was elevated to Dongducheon City. The photo shows a historical view of Bosan-dong, once a base town. (Photo courtesy of Dongducheon City)
Dongducheon once hosted over 25,000 American troops, but with most now relocated to Pyeongtaek, the U.S. military presence has dropped to about 3,500, dealing a major blow to the local economy that had long depended on base-related commerce.
Citizens have staged multiple protests in recent years, including a large-scale rally in 2024, but say they have received only perfunctory responses from the government. Now, with the presidential election just days away, civic leaders are warning of more forceful action if no concrete measures are taken.
Shim Woo-hyun, head of the city’s civil task force for regional development, expressed deep frustration: “Pyeongtaek, with only 3% of its land used for U.S. bases, has received over 18 trillion won in government investment. But Dongducheon, which has sacrificed for national security for more than 70 years, doesn’t even have a highway running through it.”
Shim added that unless meaningful support or land returns are forthcoming after the election, residents may move to block access roads used by U.S. troops during commuting hours.
The unfolding standoff reflects a broader reckoning with how communities that have long hosted foreign military installations are compensated — or neglected — in the aftermath of shifting geopolitical priorities.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
