USFK has no access policy change yet amid reported BYD car ban at US base in Japan

U.S. Forces Korea said Friday it has made no changes to policies on Chinese vehicles entering its installations, after U.S. Forces Japan reportedly decided to bar BYD electric vehicles from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa starting Oct. 26. USFK said it would communicate any access-policy changes through appropriate channels and had nothing to announce about potential changes. The reported ban was linked to concerns about intelligence leaks from sensitive military operations.

Kadena Air Base is home to the 18th Wing of the U.S. Fifth Air Force and hosts tactical fighter aircraft, radar systems and ammunition stockpiles.

The report said speculation was growing that the BYD restriction could extend to other major U.S. bases in Japan and potentially to USFK, but there was no sign USFK had adopted similar measures.

Washington added 188 Chinese companies, including Alibaba and BYD, to its military blacklist in June, barring them from U.S. defense contracts and subjecting them to further restrictions on doing business in the United States.

The Pentagon has banned the sale and use of Huawei and ZTE phones on U.S. military bases worldwide since 2018, citing security concerns.

Published Oct 23, 2026 1:07 pm KST

A U.S. Navy jet lands at Kadena Air Base in Kadena, Okinawa prefecture, Oct. 9. AFP-Yonhap

The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said on Friday there are no changes to policies regarding entry restrictions on Chinese vehicles, following U.S. Forces Japan’s (USFJ) reported decision to ban vehicles made by Chinese electric car giant BYD from entering one of its bases amid security concerns.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Friday, USFJ decided to ban electric vehicles made by BYD from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa starting Oct. 26. The air base is the U.S.' largest overseas installation and serves as a key strategic hub for regional defense against security threats from China, Russia and North Korea.

The ban is widely seen as an effort to prevent intelligence leaks of sensitive military operations, according to the report. The Japanese air base is home to the 18th Wing of the U.S. Fifth Air Force, hosting tactical fighter aircrafts, radar systems and ammunition stockpiles.

Speculations were mounting that the BYD ban may expand to other major bases in the country and potentially extend to USFK, the report added.

However, there is no sign so far that the USFK has adopted such measures.

“U.S. Forces Korea continuously reviews installation access and security measures to ensure the safety and security of our personnel, facilities and operations. Any changes to installation access policies will be communicated through appropriate channels. We have nothing to announce regarding potential changes to installation access policies at this time,” it told The Korea Times when asked whether the USFK could introduce similar measures.

The move came after Washington added 188 Chinese companies, including Alibaba and BYD, to its military blacklist in June, barring them from U.S. defense contracts. The listed companies also face further restrictions on doing business in the U.S. The list already includes companies such as DJI, a major drone maker in China.

In a related move, since 2018, the Pentagon has banned the sale and use of Huawei and ZTE phones on U.S. military bases worldwide amid security concerns.

驻韩美军周五表示，其对中国车辆进入基地的政策没有做出任何改变。此前有报道称，驻日美军决定自10月26日起禁止比亚迪电动汽车进入冲绳嘉手纳空军基地。驻韩美军表示，任何准入政策的变更都将通过适当渠道进行沟通，目前没有任何关于潜在变更的公告。据报道，此次禁令与担心敏感军事行动的情报泄露有关。

嘉手纳空军基地是美国第五航空队第18联队的驻地，驻扎着战术战斗机、雷达系统和弹药库。

报道称，外界越来越猜测比亚迪的限制可能会扩展到驻日美军其他主要基地，甚至可能扩展到驻韩美军，但目前没有迹象表明驻韩美军已经采取了类似措施。

今年6月，华盛顿将包括阿里巴巴和比亚迪在内的188家中国公司列入军事黑名单，禁止它们获得美国国防合同，并对它们在美国开展业务施加进一步限制。

自 2018 年以来，五角大楼以安全问题为由，禁止在全球美军基地销售和使用华为和中兴手机。

发布于2026年10月23日下午1:07（韩国标准时间）

10月9日，一架美国海军飞机降落在冲绳县嘉手纳市嘉手纳空军基地。法新社-韩联社

驻韩美军（USFK）周五表示，针对中国车辆入境限制的政策没有变化。此前有报道称，驻日美军（USFJ）出于安全考虑，决定禁止中国电动汽车巨头比亚迪生产的车辆进入其某个基地。

据韩联社报道，驻日美军周五决定，自10月26日起禁止比亚迪生产的电动汽车进入冲绳嘉手纳空军基地。嘉手纳空军基地是美国最大的海外军事基地，也是美国抵御来自中国、俄罗斯和朝鲜等国安全威胁的区域防御关键战略枢纽。

据报道，这项禁令被普遍视为防止敏感军事行动情报泄露的举措。该日本空军基地是美国第五航空队第18联队的驻地，驻扎着战术战斗机、雷达系统和弹药库。

报道还称，外界猜测比亚迪禁令可能会扩大到该国其他主要军事基地，甚至有可能蔓延到驻韩美军。

然而，目前还没有任何迹象表明驻韩美军已经采取了此类措施。

“驻韩美军持续审查基地准入和安保措施，以确保人员、设施和行动的安全。任何基地准入政策的变更都将通过适当渠道进行沟通。目前，我们暂无任何关于基地准入政策潜在变更的公告。”当被问及驻韩美军是否会采取类似措施时，驻韩美军如此回应。

此前，华盛顿于6月将包括阿里巴巴和比亚迪在内的188家中国公司列入军事黑名单，禁止它们参与美国国防合同。这些被列入名单的公司在美国开展业务也面临进一步的限制。该名单上已经包括了中国主要的无人机制造商大疆创新等公司。

与此同时，出于安全考虑，五角大楼自 2018 年以来禁止在全球美军基地销售和使用华为和中兴手机。