1. The 199th meeting of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) Joint Committee will take place at the Pyeongtaek City hall on December 11. The chairs of the Committee from the Republic of Korea and the United States -- Director-General for North American Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kim Tae-jin and Deputy Commander of US Forces Korea (USFK) Kenneth S. Wilsbach -- will preside over the meeting.

° Given the symbolic significance of the forthcoming meeting as the first of its kind since the relocation of the USFK Command to Pyeongtaek in June 2018 and the aim to advance the relations between the USFK and the provincial community of the ROK in a harmonious and mutually beneficial way, the meeting will take place at the Pyeongtaek City hall for the first time.

2. In the upcoming meeting, the two sides will discuss various matters of mutual interest, including preparations for “the USFK’s Pyeongtaek era”; cooperation for a smooth return of the site of the Yongsan Garrison; ways to enhance the transparency in the SOFA implementation; and environmental issues at USFK bases in the ROK. They will also review the progress in the efforts made over the past year to improve the implementation of SOFA.

* unofficial translation