By Yoon Gi-soon

Governor Kim Dong-yeon of Gyeonggi Province visited Camp Humphreys with U.S. Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg and met with key U.S. military personnel, including General Paul LaCamera, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea and United Nations Command, General Willard M. Burleson III, Commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, and Brigadier General Ryan P. Keeney, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Seventh Air Force, on Sept. 13.

Governor Kim expressed his gratitude for the invitation to Camp Humphreys, stating, "I am thankful for the invitation to Camp Humphreys, a symbol of the U.S.-Korea alliance. Gyeonggi Province will actively support the stable settlement of U.S. forces and assist in their mission."

General Paul LaCamera expressed his gratitude for Gyeonggi Province's continued support while U.S. forces maintain their combat readiness, emphasizing the strength of the 70-year U.S.-Korea alliance.

Ambassador Philip Goldberg added that Governor Kim Dong-yeon's visit to Humphreys holds significant meaning in the context of the developing U.S.-Korea alliance.

General Willard Burleson III, Commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, stated, "It is an honor to invite Ambassador Goldberg and Governor Kim to Camp Humphreys, and I am well aware of many cultural activities provided for U.S. soldiers and their families. I appreciate Gyeonggi Province's cooperation in contributing to the training and readiness of the Eighth U.S. Army."

Additionally, Brigadier General Ryan Keeney of the Seventh Air Force said, "The support from Gyeonggi Province has been instrumental in maintaining the readiness of the Seventh Air Force, and I am thankful for their efforts in embracing our service members and families as part of Korea and Gyeonggi Province."

The gathering of Governor Kim Dong-yeon, Ambassador Philip Goldberg, U.S. military commanders, and key officials marked the first meeting of its kind to discuss their cooperative relationship.

An official of Gyeonggi Province explained that this meeting took place as a result of the mutual understanding formed between the province and the U.S. military, emphasizing the need for close cooperation. With the relocation of the Yongsan U.S. military base to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province has become the largest domestic U.S. military residence area, making such cooperation vital.

Gyeonggi Province is the local government entity with the highest concentration of U.S. military forces on the Korean Peninsula, where 80% of all U.S. military personnel are stationed, performing their missions at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Osan Air Base, Camp Casey in Dongducheon, and others. 

Camp Humphreys, in particular, is known as the world's largest overseas U.S. military base, and its importance in the U.S.-ROK alliance increased when the Combined Forces Command moved there in November last year.

Gyeonggi Province is actively promoting friendly exchanges between local residents in Pyeongtaek and Dongducheon and U.S. military personnel, striving to create a mutually beneficial cooperation between the local community and the U.S. military. 

Furthermore, the province is undertaking Korean-American cooperation projects related to language, history, and culture to facilitate the stable settlement of U.S. military personnel in the region and overcome cultural differences.

Meanwhile, this meeting began with a baseball game. In April, Governor Kim Dong-yeon invited Ambassador Goldberg and General Burleson, Commander of the Eighth Army, to watch the opening game of professional baseball at Suwon KT Wiz Park. At that time, General Burleson suggested Governor Kim's visit to Camp Humphreys, which has now materialized.

This meeting between Governor Kim and Ambassador Goldberg marks their third meeting. Governor Kim has been consistently engaging in such meetings since their first meeting in November last year when he expressed his desire for a relationship that goes beyond a value alliance between South Korea and the United States, aiming for an innovative alliance. An innovative alliance refers to a cooperative relationship in innovative sectors such as semiconductors and AI.

Gyeonggi Province anticipates that meetings like this one between Governor Kim and key figures in the U.S. military in South Korea, in the year of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. alliance, will further strengthen the alliance."