1. At the 191st meeting of the SOFA Joint Committee held at the Foreign Ministry on June 26 (the ROK’s representative: the Foreign Ministry’s Director-General for North American Affairs Moon Seoung-hyun, the US representative: Deputy Commander of US Forces Korea Jan-Marc Jouas), the two sides reviewed the status of the implementation of the SOFA for the last year. In an effort to improve the implementation of the SOFA, they agreed to take various measures, including devising measures to prevent crimes by US soldiers in the ROK, improving patrol operations outside barracks, jointly responding to environmental contamination at US bases, and improving the system to examine US military mail.

o At the meeting, the two sides shared the view that they should actively work to find areas for improvement in implementing the SOFA and the solutions in order to minimize the ROK people’s inconvenience caused by U.S. Forces Korea and create a stable environment for the stationing of US forces in the ROK. They also decided to facilitate consultations on the implementation of the SOFA by holding the SOFA Joint Committee meeting twice a year, which was originally held once a year.

2. At the latest meeting, the ROK and the US conducted a review of the implementation of the SOFA, mainly in criminal jurisdiction, security, law enforcement, environment and financial matters, and exchanged opinions on ways to improve the implementation of the SOFA.

o On criminal jurisdiction, the ROK side noted that in May last year, the two sides devised processes to hand over a US soldier suspected of crimes to the ROK custody before an indictment and agreed that the ROK can retain the custody of the suspected US soldier for initial investigations, and in April this year, such agreements were actually implemented. The ROK side also requested that the US side closely cooperate in preventing and handling crimes by US soldiers in the ROK.

- The US side explained that each US unit has continuously strengthened efforts to prevent crimes by maintaining military discipline and increasing education on Korean culture.

o On security and law enforcement, the two sides agreed on the need for the US military police to conduct patrol operations outside barracks in accordance with the SOFA to prevent unnecessary controversy. They decided to take necessary action for that.

- In particular, the US side explained their efforts to improve patrol operations outside barracks, including conducting the ROK-US joint patrol, increasing education, and prohibiting the possession of firearms and the exposure of handcuffs.

o On environment issues near the Yongsan Garrison, the two sides took note that the Environmental Joint Working Group (EJWG), which includes experts in relevant areas, was formed at the SOFA Environmental Subcommittee meeting on June 17. They agreed to work together to effectively and closely consult on sharing relevant information and conducting joint research in pollutants.

o Furthermore, the two sides decided to continue to make efforts to improve the system to examine US military mail through the Finance Subcommittee so as to systematically prevent drug smuggling through US military mail.

o The ROK side also explained that the Foreign Ministry’s call center to consult on incidents or accidents involving USFK has provided legal or other related services to victims of the USFK-involved incidents or accidents. The ROK side asked the US side for continued cooperation to minimize damage inflicted on the ROK people by the USFK-involved crimes.

3. The ROK government will pursue diplomacy for the happiness of the people by identifying problems that can occur in implementing the SOFA and developing improvement measures. The government will also continue to closely cooperate with the US to solve SOFA-related issues amicably. 


                      Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

*unofficial translation