S. Korea seeks to finalize agreement with U.S. on joint air base relocations by year-end

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SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is seeking to finalize a comprehensive agreement with the United States by the end of this year on plans to relocate jointly used air bases across the country, including the facilities in the southwestern city of Gwangju, a source familiar with the matter said Monday.

The move comes amid Seoul's push to relocate the shared air base and military airport in Gwangju under an initiative to build a mega semiconductor cluster in the city and the broader surrounding region.

Seoul and Washington have been in talks since 2021 to set principles and procedures for base relocations across five collocated operating bases (COBs) in South Korea, following South Korea's plan to relocate the military airfield in Daegu.

A COB operates as a base from which the U.S. Air Force can deploy its assets in the event of a contingency. The base includes land provided to the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) by the South Korean government.

The other three COBs are the air bases in Cheongju, Gimhae and Suwon.

The two sides tentatively agreed on a deal in October 2024 but had since made little headway as discussions reportedly hit a stalemate over a U.S. draft proposal in November 2025.

But as both sides have made progress in recent working-level discussions, including on fine-tuning the language in the agreement, Seoul aims to finalize the pact by the end of this year, according to the source.

An Air Force 1st Fighter Wing jet trainer sits on the runway at Gwangju Air Base, 270 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on Aug. 10, 2026. (Yonhap)

"We are consulting with the U.S. side to include the temporary relocation of U.S. military facilities inside the Gwangju Air Base in the comprehensive agreement on COB relocations currently under negotiation," defense ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said in a press briefing earlier in the day.

Chung noted the government also plans to take swift steps for parliamentary consent for the agreement in accordance with required procedures.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters Friday that the government was nearing a deal with the U.S. on the comprehensive agreement on air base relocations.

Regarding ongoing maintenance work at the U.S. facilities inside the Gwangju base, Chung said the matter is also being addressed in talks with the U.S., including an option to temporarily suspend the operation.

"We are discussing options with the U.S. side, including a temporary halt to the maintenance work, to ensure that the budget is not wasted and that the national industrial complex project will face no disruptions," she added.

Gwangju Air Base, home to the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing, has been picked as the site for the envisioned chip cluster.

Under the relocation plan, the Gwangju military airport will move to neighboring Muan County, while the 1st Fighter Wing and its flight training squadrons will be reassigned across three bases in North Gyeongsang, North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong provinces.

elly@yna.co.kr (END)

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S. Korea seeks to finalize agreement with U.S. on joint air base relocations by year-end

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

首尔，11月2日（韩联社）——一位知情人士周一表示，韩国正寻求在今年年底前与美国就重新安置全国各地的联合空军基地（包括位于西南部城市光州的设施）的计划达成全面协议。

此举正值首尔推动将位于光州的共享空军基地和军用机场迁址之际，这是首尔为在该市及周边地区打造大型半导体产业集群而采取的举措之一。

自 2021 年以来，首尔和华盛顿一直在进行会谈，以制定韩国五个并置作战基地 (COB) 搬迁的原则和程序，此前韩国计划搬迁大邱的军用机场。

作战基地（COB）是美国空军在发生紧急情况时部署其资产的基地。该基地包括韩国政府提供给驻韩美军（USFK）的土地。

另外三个作战基地分别是清州、金海和水原的空军基地。

双方于 2024 年 10 月初步达成协议，但此后进展甚微，据报道，双方于 2025 年 11 月因美国提出的草案陷入僵局。

但据消息人士透露，由于双方在最近的工作层面讨论中取得了进展，包括对协议措辞进行微调，首尔的目标是在今年年底前最终敲定该协议。

2026年8月10日，一架韩国空军第一战斗机联队的喷气式教练机停在光州空军基地的跑道上，该基地位于首尔西南270公里处。（韩联社）

国防部发言人郑彬那当天早些时候在新闻发布会上表示：“我们正在与美方协商，将美军设施在光州空军基地内的临时搬迁纳入目前正在谈判中的军需品基地搬迁综合协议。”

钟指出，政府也计划按照既定程序，迅速采取措施，争取国会批准该协议。

国家安全顾问魏松乐周五告诉记者，政府即将与美国就空军基地搬迁的全面协议达成一致。

关于美国在光州基地内的设施正在进行的维护工作，郑表示，此事也在与美国进行谈判，其中包括暂时中止该行动的选项。

她补充说：“我们正在与美方讨论各种方案，包括暂时停止维护工作，以确保预算不被浪费，并确保国家工业综合体项目不会受到干扰。”

光州空军基地是空军第一战斗机联队的驻地，已被选为规划中的芯片集群所在地。

根据搬迁计划，光州军用机场将迁至邻近的务安郡，而第一战斗机联队及其飞行训练中队将重新分配到庆尚北道、忠清北道和忠清南道的三个基地。

elly@yna.co.kr（完）

（导语）国防部长视察光州空军基地，此前该基地计划搬迁以用于芯片项目

国防部长与美国高级特使讨论作战指挥权移交和空军基地搬迁事宜。

（第二轮）政府最终确定务安郡地区为光州空军基地搬迁地点。

为推进芯片集群项目，第一战斗机联队将暂时搬迁。

国防部誓言推动光州空军基地作战行动的临时搬迁

韩国寻求在年底前与美国就联合空军基地搬迁事宜达成最终协议。