“U.S. forces unilaterally notify Apache helicopter training”… Pohang Citizens urged the Minister of Defense to resign

The conflict between the Ministry of Defense and the citizens of Pohang over the Apache helicopter shooting training of US forces in Korea is rising again. Residents are protesting, saying, “Even though the Ministry of National Defense promised’not to train without consultation,’ it has unilaterally notified that it will conduct training in early February.

The Pohang Suseong Shooting Range Countermeasure Committee (hereinafter referred to as the opposition committee) held a protest rally in Suseong-ri, Janggi-myeon, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, on the morning of the 2nd, calling for the suspension of the Apache helicopter shooting training scheduled for early February.

“We confirmed several times the promise of the Ministry of Defense not to conduct shooting training without consultation with the local residents, but after unilaterally notifying that they would do shooting training again in early February, we now reconnaissance of the terrain with helicopters for shooting training. “I can’t stand the Ministry of Defense’s behavior that mocked Pohang citizens, and long-term residents are prepared to die and will surely stop shooting training.”

This rally was held by the Ministry of Defense notifying the residents of the Apache helicopter shooting training in early February. On this day, the residents protested with a picket with phrases such as’Resign from the Minister of Defense who forsaken the promise with the citizens!’ and’Punish the officials of the Ministry of Defense who abandon the promises with the public and keep only the promises of the US military.’

In addition, the opposition committee demanded the resignation of the Minister of Defense and expressed anger by stabbing a banner with the phrases of the Minister of Defense and the Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces. In addition, a tractor was used to block the roads around the Suseong shooting range to prevent firing training from being enforced.

Apache helicopter shooting training has been held at the Yeongpyeong shooting range of the 8th US Army in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do. However, in February of last year, the training site was suddenly moved to Suseong Shooting Range in Pohang. This is because the opposition of the residents increased after two bullets launched by an Apache helicopter from Pocheon in 2017 flew into a village 3 km away.

Since the establishment of Suseong Shooting Range of 10 million square meters in Janggi-myeon, Pohang, civil complaints have continued due to noise and vibration. Accordingly, Pohang citizens are protesting that “Suseong Shooting Range itself should be closed.” At Suseong Shooting Range, Apache helicopter training was announced once in November last year, but it was temporarily suspended due to the opposition of residents.

Pohang = Reporter Baek Kyungseo [email protected]