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

South Korea and the United States are negotiating one comprehensive agreement covering principles and procedures for relocating facilities at five collocated operating bases, or COBs. The deal matters because it would create a common framework for moving jointly used military facilities while supporting South Korean redevelopment plans.

Gwangju is the most immediate example. Seoul wants temporary relocation of U.S. military facilities inside Gwangju Air Base included in the agreement. The base is also connected to a planned semiconductor cluster, so military decisions affect a major national industrial project.

The countries tentatively agreed in October 2024, but discussions later stalled over a U.S. draft proposal from November 2025. Recent working-level talks have improved, including efforts to refine the wording. Seoul now aims to finish the pact by year-end and seek parliamentary consent through required procedures.

A collocated operating base, or COB, is a military base that supports both South Korean and U.S. operations. The article defines it as a base from which the U.S. Air Force can deploy its assets if a contingency occurs. The arrangement therefore links South Korean territory with U.S. military readiness.

The base includes land provided to the U.S. Forces Korea by the South Korean government. In practice, that means American facilities are located inside or alongside a South Korean air base. Gwangju is one example, with U.S. military facilities operating inside the shared air base.

The COB system is central to the relocation talks because moving one facility can affect access, operations, and emergency deployment plans. The proposed comprehensive agreement would establish principles and procedures for relocating facilities across five such bases while preserving coordination between the two countries.

The negotiations cover five collocated operating bases in South Korea. This scale matters because the proposed agreement is meant to set common principles and procedures for relocations across multiple jointly used air bases, not just resolve the issue in Gwangju.

The bases are associated with Gwangju, Daegu, Cheongju, Gimhae and Suwon. The article says talks began in 2021 after South Korea planned to relocate the military airfield in Daegu. It identifies Cheongju, Gimhae and Suwon as the other three COBs beyond the Gwangju and Daegu sites.

The broad agreement could therefore guide several future moves. The sides tentatively agreed in October 2024, but negotiations later stalled over a U.S. draft proposal. Recent working-level progress has encouraged Seoul to seek finalization by the end of this year, followed by parliamentary consent procedures.

South Korea is seeking the Gwangju relocation mainly to make room for an envisioned mega semiconductor cluster. Gwangju Air Base has been selected as the site of the chip cluster, giving the military-airfield decision direct importance for the city’s industrial development and the wider surrounding region.

The current plan involves more than moving South Korea’s military airport. Seoul is also consulting Washington about temporarily relocating U.S. military facilities inside the base. Maintenance work at those facilities is another issue. Officials are discussing whether that work should be temporarily suspended so spending is not wasted.

The relocation therefore requires coordination with the United States, not simply a domestic construction decision. Seoul wants the temporary U.S. move included in the broader COB agreement. It also plans swift parliamentary-consent steps, while seeking to prevent maintenance or base operations from disrupting the national industrial-complex project.

If the base relocation and maintenance questions remain unresolved, the planned semiconductor cluster could face disruptions. The project is tied to Gwangju Air Base, so continuing military operations or poorly coordinated construction could interfere with the national industrial-complex timetable.

Maintenance spending is a specific concern. South Korea and the United States are discussing whether to temporarily halt ongoing maintenance work at U.S. facilities inside the Gwangju base. The stated goals are to ensure that the budget is not wasted and that the industrial project experiences no disruptions.

The issue is still being handled through negotiations rather than a completed decision. Seoul wants temporary relocation of the U.S. facilities included in the comprehensive COB agreement. It also plans to move quickly on parliamentary consent. Until those steps are resolved, the project’s smooth progress depends on continued coordination with Washington.

Under the current plan, Gwangju’s military airport would leave the city and move to neighboring Muan County. This would separate the airport’s future location from the site chosen for the envisioned semiconductor cluster, allowing the planned industrial development to proceed around the former base area.

The Air Force’s 1st Fighter Wing would not move as one unit to Muan under the described plan. Instead, the wing and its flight-training squadrons would be reassigned across three bases. Those bases are in North Gyeongsang, North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong provinces.

The plan therefore uses two different relocation paths: the military airport goes to Muan County, while fighter and training operations are distributed among existing bases. Implementing it still requires agreement with Washington over U.S. facilities at Gwangju and progress on the wider five-COB relocation pact.

The article does not fully explain why the United States operates facilities in South Korea. Established background is that U.S. forces support the U.S.-South Korean defense alliance and help maintain a joint response capability. The article specifically connects COBs to U.S. Air Force deployments during a contingency.

A COB shows how that arrangement works. South Korea provides land to U.S. Forces Korea, while U.S. facilities operate within a jointly used air base. From such a base, the U.S. Air Force can deploy assets if an emergency arises. Gwangju is one example of this shared setup.

This alliance function is why relocations require bilateral agreement rather than a unilateral South Korean decision. Moving or temporarily suspending U.S. facilities can affect readiness, access, and coordination. The proposed five-COB agreement is intended to establish procedures for changes while preserving the countries’ ability to operate together.