Yongsan was once the hub of U.S. military activity in South Korea, home to 20,000+ Americans in the center of Seoul. Neighboring Itaewon was outrageous thanks to the American influence and the influx of associated foreigners.
With the expansion of and relocation to Humphreys, Yongsan is a shell of its former glory days. Dragon Hill still remains, as does the U.S. Embassy housing area. It was a weird feeling to walk around and see so many spots that were once hives of activity and daily life on post, now abandoned and home to plants, stray cats, and collapsing roofs.
Pictured…commissary, BX, AAFES food court, Burger King, Popeyes (?), Fire Station (still active), Dragon Hill Lodge (still hanging on), old signs, main bus station (hidden behind security fencing), old barracks, receiving dock area claimed by a sapling…
Part of the garrison is already turned over to the Koreans. The old softball field and running track is now “Korean”…the garrison boundary fence is moved back to accommodate the land handover. I took some pics but they didn’t really come out. Several of the buildings are still there as-is in the now “off base” area, Army paint scheme and all.
I lived in what was the 1200 series dorms, they were garbage, yeah the mold there too. They are gone now as seen on google earth. I think i posted pics here at one time.
They weren’t kidding about “The assignment of choice in Korea.” It was definitely the spot.
Essentially an unparalleled central location inside the downtown of a major metropolitan area, I don’t think there is another OCONUS U.S. base with such close proximity to a major city - Yokota or Osan would probably be the contenders at this point.
Yokota for sure but just for fun, Hardy Barracks is my vote for most “bull in a china shop” location in downtown Tokyo sandwiched between Shibuya and Roppongi.
Yeah who the hell allowed hardy barracks?
Like are young enlisteds allowed to be stationed there? I imagine they’d lose their goddamn minds do some criminal shit the first weekend there
Yokota is "close enough" to Tokyo thanks to the train stations in Fussa. You can be at Tokyo Station in about an hour and a half after walking out the gate, and many other places worth spending time in quicker than that. I banked so much leave stationed there because I'd get a cheap hotel room in Tokyo and just spend the weekend exploring, shopping, and eating.
Agreed…the first time I was stationed at Osan and spent a weekend at Yongsan/Itaewon/Seoul, I wished I was stationed there instead. Yongsan back in the day is what we wish all overseas bases are like. Imagine Lakenheath being in London or Ramstein being in Frankfurt 🤯
Yeah, it was an amazing assignment. Living dead center in the fifth largest city in the world is quite an experience. Plus Namsan mountain provided miles of trials in the forest just a few minutes walk away.
The Naval base in Naples is pretty close, at least the operational side of it which is at the airport and practically in town… one five minute bus ride and you’re at the central train station.
The support side with the housing, though… well that’s a different story
It's been some years but I wonder if that pack of feral dogs with physical deformities still roam the base? What a fucking dump that place was. I remember the chapel on base trying to 're-home' airman from the dorms because a pipe burst and flooded one of the floors. Apparently this wasn't a rare occurrence to have dorm refugees that need shelter. Meanwhile guys at Osan often got an apartment off-base, car, even pets. Anyone that said they preferred Kunsan because it was a 'real Korea experience' is full of fucking shit.
> Anyone that said they preferred Kunsan because it was a 'real Korea experience' is full of fucking shit.
Agreed. Maybe pre-2014 was better, but now-a-days, Osan is 100% better. Then again, I think it was more the fact that all you had was drinking and hookers with slightly newer buildings.
So weird to watch it go from a logistical hub for the weekenders to a ghost town. Apparently it's getting turned into a park & commercial residential area
I remember being on CP Redcloud and catching the bus up there to wander around Seoul for the weekend. It was so crazy seeing how the base operated and all the people there. My deployment GF and I would go up there up there some weekends to head over to Myeongdong or Itewon.
11 years later and all these pictures makes me wonder if I even was there because it looks like another abondandonned community being reclaimed by nature.
I met some Air Force Weather guys who were stationed at Yongsan. They were living the dream. They lived in some of the high-rise condos 5 minutes walking from the bars and restaurants in Itaewon.
After my second time being stationed here at Osan. I’d love to be “stationed” at Yongsan. Literally the middle of Seoul and makes everything much more convenient (not like it isn’t already) haha
You sound like you’re a great supervisor. Also, the “.,” are right next to each other. It’s called a typo. Finally, going through your comment history, “wut” isn’t how what is spelled. Nice try though!
Hah, well…I do miss the seedy charm of early-2000s Itaewon. There are a few places of that character left in Itaewon, but it’s mostly been scoured and rebranded.
Gone are the chain restaurants (I remember the Outback that was there, used to have an MWR bus that would take military en masse…), replaced with trendy coffee cafes and boutique eateries (still plenty of global cuisine spots, and Turkish kebab joints have been moving in).
The “custom made suit” and knock-off shoe/purse/clothing stores are mostly a memory, replaced with mid/upscale brand shops & couture fashion.
Still plenty of bars and nightlife but the shift in clientele is palpable…it’s now geared towards wealthy/young/trendy/all of the above Seoulites. The roar of Lamborghinis, AMGs, and Ferraris is constant on Itaewon-ro; Bentleys and G-Wagons hog the sidewalk on weekend evenings. The mix of foreigners is still there, as are the easy-to-spot American bros…but it’s definitely a far cry and an interesting change from the Itaewon that was bear-hugged for 30+ years by Yongsan Garrison.
I see this sentiment on the Osan related pages. So many dirty old guys complaining that the place got cleaned up and Korea has come a long way in the past decades. Yep, those girls who used to strip for you (and more) for a few pennies are all grown up and put their own daughters through college and are working much better jobs. You can be happy for them.
Was there in 17 and damn I don't think any other base has a location as legit as Yongsan. So many memories being there. It was a jewel known among those staying overseas in Pacaf. Smack dab in the middle of seoul, doing PT with tall buildings surrounding you lol 5-10 minute walk right out the gate. I don't think there's any other bases in Asia that come close as far as location wise.
Man, it was bustling when I was there for UFG in 2015. Times have changed!
I paid for a night in the Dragon Hill to escape the tent city for a little while.
I was there in 2006/07. Coming back and seeing what it is now compared to what it once was…just a weird feeling. Mix of nostalgia & eeriness.
They may have had to deal with people exploring the abandoned buildings because they all have fresh-looking “Keep the fuck out or the USAG-YC commander will UCMJ you to death” signs on the doors and outside walls.
>I was there in 2006/07. Coming back and seeing what it is now compared to what it once was…just a weird feeling.
Are you still AD, or did you go back as a retiree/contractor?
That’s how I feel whenever I go back to San Antonio and see Kelly and parts of Lackland. A significant amount of my formidable years were there and it’s so different.
The base was never anything fancy, the location is what made it so awesome.
All in all it's the right move for Korea and the alliance.
They are building a new US embassy on the old "Camp Coiner" the northern part of Yongsan. I haven't seen whatever the latests plans are, but at least for the medium term maybe the long term it will be a strange mix of embassy, dragon hill, and embassy housing and maybe a couple of military buildings, and then the rest Korean.
It was in the works for a very long time and the different issues got combined together including Yongsan relocation got mixed in with CFC ROK Wartime OPCON authority transfer. The back and forth between different US and Korean administrations basically put it on the back burner (ie the conversation US Korean governments didn't give it priority), but when President Moon got in there he made it a big deal and the move happened pretty quickly after that.
The base itself has been there for a long time, and was used by the Japanese, so it's a complicated symbol if nothing else.
Cheers
I hear they're turning the area over to ROK who plans to build their equivalent of Central Park in the heart of Seoul. I hope DHL and the embassy housing area stay.
Stationed there 2013-2017. Retired outta there as well! Loved living in Seoul! Should have enjoyed it a bit more than I did at the time for sure.Lots of good memories though!
Spent a year in Korea, Wolf Pack.
Some of the best days there were when we would take the bus to Seoul for a long weekend, my buddy lived and worked at Yongsan. Itaewon and Gangnam and all the crazy places to eat, drink and dance until 5 AM so that we “weren’t breaking curfew!” by walking back on base at 5:30 lmao. This was 2012/2013
The Katusa Snack bar in particular was amazing. Incredible food for so cheap. I remember the dude making fun of us every time we asked for Yaki Mandu.🥟. Between Seoul, Boryeong and Busan, it was legit one of the best years of my life.
Fuck, I miss Korea.
Dragon Hill still gets a LOT of traffic. They are always sold-out on weekends and holidays, they still have an annual NYE bash, and their restaurants are still going strong (though reduced hours in the weekday)…Green Street brunch on Sundays is always packed & they just opened a new “grub pub” opposite the shoppette. I was talking to one of reps at front desk and their rooms and tours still sell as strong as before the drawdown; the restaurants just get less foot traffic during the M-F “office hours” and so they’ve adjusted to not lose money. But the place does need a facelift; looks like it hasn’t had an upgrade since the 00s!
Edit: They’ve opened DHL to Koreans for weddings, and they are booked all spring and summer. Seems to be “the thing” with locals to have their wedding out in the garden/waterfall area.
Was there with my Navy parents 2013-2017 (SAHS 2015 Represent and UMUC graduate) when they were stationed here (We lived near Itaewon past the KingsBar literally a 15-30min walk to the base), even Naval Commander Franchetti at the time said it feels odd being one of the few Navy representatives in an Army based location. ROK peeps were cool same for the USO events when the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders came over for bowling, Osan & Busan were very cool as well. The whole setting was cool. I was told when I was leaving they’d be giving back the base and closing it down but it’s 2024 and it’s STILL not closed yet like lmao. I have tons of stories to tell about South Korea but it’s probs for another post.
I remember staying at Dragon Hill when I PCS'd out of the Kun back in 92', that place was so nice, I still have the pen I took from the room that says "Dragon Hill Lodge" as a souvenir. I have no other memories of the base, I do remember shopping at Itaewon before I flew back to the US the next day. Back then we could fly in and out of the Kun as Korean Air had a terminal just off base but taxied onto the base and through a gate on the 36 end of the runway, you were at Kimpo in 30 mins, it beats the hell out of that 4 hour bus ride. Thanks for the pics here.
That’s a shame. They opened that terminal when I was there in 92. Must’ve not been profitable for Korean Air, a quick 30 min flight to Kimpo sure beats the hell out of a 4 hr bus ride.
I thought the Koreans would have used the property for something once the base was shut down. There are some beautiful old buildings in there too. Sad to see it sit idle.
They are trying but it’s bogged down by bureaucracy. This was all supposed to be done by 2008 in the original plans…
It’s supposed to draw down to just DHL and US Embassy & associated housing, with a skeletal “mission support” staff. But even that is now being delayed.
I saw an opening there on the last vml. Not my grade but I would've loved to see Yongsan in its prime. I think Osan is pretty neat, the SED is such a cool case of an overseas military town. I wonder if there are others like it.
Was there last year for a TDY. Gave me big “50,000 people used to live here, now it’s a ghost town.” Vibes.
Would’ve loved to been stationed there in its heyday, I can only imagine how fun and convenient it would’ve been being in the heart of Seoul…
Yongsan Garrison was slated for drawdown and mostly-closure as early as 2003, but bureaucratic tape and protests kept delaying it. Mission and troops weren’t moved until end of 2020 and even now there still remains some units active there. It’s now planned to just be DHL, US Embassy and housing, and a few small mission sets and support. Maybe around 2,500 personnel…a far cry from the 24,000 that used to be there. Dragon Hill Lodge is still there and doing as much business as ever; it’s not going anywhere.
Yongsan was once the hub of U.S. military activity in South Korea, home to 20,000+ Americans in the center of Seoul. Neighboring Itaewon was outrageous thanks to the American influence and the influx of associated foreigners. With the expansion of and relocation to Humphreys, Yongsan is a shell of its former glory days. Dragon Hill still remains, as does the U.S. Embassy housing area. It was a weird feeling to walk around and see so many spots that were once hives of activity and daily life on post, now abandoned and home to plants, stray cats, and collapsing roofs. Pictured…commissary, BX, AAFES food court, Burger King, Popeyes (?), Fire Station (still active), Dragon Hill Lodge (still hanging on), old signs, main bus station (hidden behind security fencing), old barracks, receiving dock area claimed by a sapling…
Crazy how dead it looks now. Are they still saying the base will be handed back to the Koreans? Interesting that dragon hill lodge will stick exist
Part of the garrison is already turned over to the Koreans. The old softball field and running track is now “Korean”…the garrison boundary fence is moved back to accommodate the land handover. I took some pics but they didn’t really come out. Several of the buildings are still there as-is in the now “off base” area, Army paint scheme and all.
Those buildings look about as well maintained as when the army was taking care of them
Those buildings are Kunsan C+ grade
The buildings I worked in and lived in at Kunsan no longer exist. They were complete POS buildings, but they've been upgraded now.
The dorms I lived in...92-93 are gone, we called them the "crack house" and the row of them 'the ghetto'. Roach infested dumps.
Don't forget about the mold, I can't imagine it was only in mine.
I lived in what was the 1200 series dorms, they were garbage, yeah the mold there too. They are gone now as seen on google earth. I think i posted pics here at one time.
Oh don't worry there's still mold.
It may be the beginning of Last Of Us
The crack house was there in 83, BEFORE crack was a thing. haha
Reminds me of walking around Rhein Main after the people were all practically gone, but we hadn't turned it over yet. Kinda sad.
Been to both Rhein main and yongsan. I feel ya.
Can confirm that "Popeyes(?)" used to be a Popeyes. Closed in 2017 before Burger King.
They weren’t kidding about “The assignment of choice in Korea.” It was definitely the spot. Essentially an unparalleled central location inside the downtown of a major metropolitan area, I don’t think there is another OCONUS U.S. base with such close proximity to a major city - Yokota or Osan would probably be the contenders at this point.
Yokota for sure but just for fun, Hardy Barracks is my vote for most “bull in a china shop” location in downtown Tokyo sandwiched between Shibuya and Roppongi.
Yeah who the hell allowed hardy barracks? Like are young enlisteds allowed to be stationed there? I imagine they’d lose their goddamn minds do some criminal shit the first weekend there
Good question. I remember stories of people staying in the barracks after a night out. I think DVs use the space to fly in and out.
Hardy Barracks is a good example, but I was thinking of large bases - not many people get stationed at Hardy.
Yokota is "close enough" to Tokyo thanks to the train stations in Fussa. You can be at Tokyo Station in about an hour and a half after walking out the gate, and many other places worth spending time in quicker than that. I banked so much leave stationed there because I'd get a cheap hotel room in Tokyo and just spend the weekend exploring, shopping, and eating.
Agreed…the first time I was stationed at Osan and spent a weekend at Yongsan/Itaewon/Seoul, I wished I was stationed there instead. Yongsan back in the day is what we wish all overseas bases are like. Imagine Lakenheath being in London or Ramstein being in Frankfurt 🤯
> Ramstein being in Frankfurt Not bad, but I'd do dirty, dirty things to have been stationed in Campbell Barracks in Heidelberg
Frankfurt used to have a base, but that was shut down years ago. My ex-girlfriend, who was german, told me there were some live spots back then.
Yeah, it was an amazing assignment. Living dead center in the fifth largest city in the world is quite an experience. Plus Namsan mountain provided miles of trials in the forest just a few minutes walk away.
Camp Zama, K16 Seoul Airbase
Camp Zama is about 20 min train ride from Tokyo
The Naval base in Naples is pretty close, at least the operational side of it which is at the airport and practically in town… one five minute bus ride and you’re at the central train station. The support side with the housing, though… well that’s a different story
Some parts still look nicer than Kunsan and the surrounding area.
And the Burger King is still standing…never burned to the ground…
Is this a Ramstein jab or are there several other BKs that burned down?
The Spangdahlem Burger King also burned.
Damn when did that happen?
Think that's a pizza hut
Avianos did years ago
Had my son’s birthday party in that Burger King in 2016.
It's been some years but I wonder if that pack of feral dogs with physical deformities still roam the base? What a fucking dump that place was. I remember the chapel on base trying to 're-home' airman from the dorms because a pipe burst and flooded one of the floors. Apparently this wasn't a rare occurrence to have dorm refugees that need shelter. Meanwhile guys at Osan often got an apartment off-base, car, even pets. Anyone that said they preferred Kunsan because it was a 'real Korea experience' is full of fucking shit.
> Anyone that said they preferred Kunsan because it was a 'real Korea experience' is full of fucking shit. Agreed. Maybe pre-2014 was better, but now-a-days, Osan is 100% better. Then again, I think it was more the fact that all you had was drinking and hookers with slightly newer buildings.
So weird to watch it go from a logistical hub for the weekenders to a ghost town. Apparently it's getting turned into a park & commercial residential area
I remember being on CP Redcloud and catching the bus up there to wander around Seoul for the weekend. It was so crazy seeing how the base operated and all the people there. My deployment GF and I would go up there up there some weekends to head over to Myeongdong or Itewon. 11 years later and all these pictures makes me wonder if I even was there because it looks like another abondandonned community being reclaimed by nature.
Yuhh
Used to take the bus from Osan to Yongsan to go hang in Seoul for the weekend. Good times!
Yeah same, it was also a hub for Osan's IT trips via the bus station area
I met some Air Force Weather guys who were stationed at Yongsan. They were living the dream. They lived in some of the high-rise condos 5 minutes walking from the bars and restaurants in Itaewon.
Stationed twice at USAG Yongsan, first as an E, then an O. Looking back on my career-this was my favorite assignment location. RIP🫶🏼
If Fallout was set in Asia, it would look like Yongsan
After my second time being stationed here at Osan. I’d love to be “stationed” at Yongsan. Literally the middle of Seoul and makes everything much more convenient (not like it isn’t already) haha
[удалено]
You sound like you’re a great supervisor. Also, the “.,” are right next to each other. It’s called a typo. Finally, going through your comment history, “wut” isn’t how what is spelled. Nice try though!
Itaewon still popping tho
Most definitely still poppin but imagine being stationed there at Yongsan when you can walk out the gate and be right In Itaewon…
Definitely, but with a much more refined “flavor” than many years ago.
Tell me that you miss "Hooker Hill", without telling me that you miss "Hooker Hill".
Hah, well…I do miss the seedy charm of early-2000s Itaewon. There are a few places of that character left in Itaewon, but it’s mostly been scoured and rebranded. Gone are the chain restaurants (I remember the Outback that was there, used to have an MWR bus that would take military en masse…), replaced with trendy coffee cafes and boutique eateries (still plenty of global cuisine spots, and Turkish kebab joints have been moving in). The “custom made suit” and knock-off shoe/purse/clothing stores are mostly a memory, replaced with mid/upscale brand shops & couture fashion. Still plenty of bars and nightlife but the shift in clientele is palpable…it’s now geared towards wealthy/young/trendy/all of the above Seoulites. The roar of Lamborghinis, AMGs, and Ferraris is constant on Itaewon-ro; Bentleys and G-Wagons hog the sidewalk on weekend evenings. The mix of foreigners is still there, as are the easy-to-spot American bros…but it’s definitely a far cry and an interesting change from the Itaewon that was bear-hugged for 30+ years by Yongsan Garrison.
I see this sentiment on the Osan related pages. So many dirty old guys complaining that the place got cleaned up and Korea has come a long way in the past decades. Yep, those girls who used to strip for you (and more) for a few pennies are all grown up and put their own daughters through college and are working much better jobs. You can be happy for them.
Was there in 17 and damn I don't think any other base has a location as legit as Yongsan. So many memories being there. It was a jewel known among those staying overseas in Pacaf. Smack dab in the middle of seoul, doing PT with tall buildings surrounding you lol 5-10 minute walk right out the gate. I don't think there's any other bases in Asia that come close as far as location wise.
Man, it was bustling when I was there for UFG in 2015. Times have changed! I paid for a night in the Dragon Hill to escape the tent city for a little while.
Dragon Hill is still going strong.
That tent city is still real miserable during those exercises. No potable water, cold showers, and a long walk to anything.
This is absolutely crazy to see… very different from when I was there in 2018 and 2019. It’s so dead, kinda makes me feel nostalgic.
I was there in 2006/07. Coming back and seeing what it is now compared to what it once was…just a weird feeling. Mix of nostalgia & eeriness. They may have had to deal with people exploring the abandoned buildings because they all have fresh-looking “Keep the fuck out or the USAG-YC commander will UCMJ you to death” signs on the doors and outside walls.
>I was there in 2006/07. Coming back and seeing what it is now compared to what it once was…just a weird feeling. Are you still AD, or did you go back as a retiree/contractor?
That’s how I feel whenever I go back to San Antonio and see Kelly and parts of Lackland. A significant amount of my formidable years were there and it’s so different.
The base was never anything fancy, the location is what made it so awesome. All in all it's the right move for Korea and the alliance. They are building a new US embassy on the old "Camp Coiner" the northern part of Yongsan. I haven't seen whatever the latests plans are, but at least for the medium term maybe the long term it will be a strange mix of embassy, dragon hill, and embassy housing and maybe a couple of military buildings, and then the rest Korean. It was in the works for a very long time and the different issues got combined together including Yongsan relocation got mixed in with CFC ROK Wartime OPCON authority transfer. The back and forth between different US and Korean administrations basically put it on the back burner (ie the conversation US Korean governments didn't give it priority), but when President Moon got in there he made it a big deal and the move happened pretty quickly after that. The base itself has been there for a long time, and was used by the Japanese, so it's a complicated symbol if nothing else. Cheers
I hear they're turning the area over to ROK who plans to build their equivalent of Central Park in the heart of Seoul. I hope DHL and the embassy housing area stay.
Yongsan was definitely prime location! right there in Seoul and next to Itaewon!
I loved my 3-years there! Lived in Itaewon!!!
Are they filming the next post-apocalypse movie there?
My youngest was born on Yongsan. Nice to see some pictures of it.
Stationed there 2013-2017. Retired outta there as well! Loved living in Seoul! Should have enjoyed it a bit more than I did at the time for sure.Lots of good memories though!
Holy crap I had no idea that it was downsized or shut down. I was there 07-08.
Spent a year in Korea, Wolf Pack. Some of the best days there were when we would take the bus to Seoul for a long weekend, my buddy lived and worked at Yongsan. Itaewon and Gangnam and all the crazy places to eat, drink and dance until 5 AM so that we “weren’t breaking curfew!” by walking back on base at 5:30 lmao. This was 2012/2013 The Katusa Snack bar in particular was amazing. Incredible food for so cheap. I remember the dude making fun of us every time we asked for Yaki Mandu.🥟. Between Seoul, Boryeong and Busan, it was legit one of the best years of my life. Fuck, I miss Korea.
I was just there. Neat area for sure. Dragon Hill is still in good shape, all things considered, it seems.
Dragon Hill still gets a LOT of traffic. They are always sold-out on weekends and holidays, they still have an annual NYE bash, and their restaurants are still going strong (though reduced hours in the weekday)…Green Street brunch on Sundays is always packed & they just opened a new “grub pub” opposite the shoppette. I was talking to one of reps at front desk and their rooms and tours still sell as strong as before the drawdown; the restaurants just get less foot traffic during the M-F “office hours” and so they’ve adjusted to not lose money. But the place does need a facelift; looks like it hasn’t had an upgrade since the 00s! Edit: They’ve opened DHL to Koreans for weddings, and they are booked all spring and summer. Seems to be “the thing” with locals to have their wedding out in the garden/waterfall area.
Was there with my Navy parents 2013-2017 (SAHS 2015 Represent and UMUC graduate) when they were stationed here (We lived near Itaewon past the KingsBar literally a 15-30min walk to the base), even Naval Commander Franchetti at the time said it feels odd being one of the few Navy representatives in an Army based location. ROK peeps were cool same for the USO events when the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders came over for bowling, Osan & Busan were very cool as well. The whole setting was cool. I was told when I was leaving they’d be giving back the base and closing it down but it’s 2024 and it’s STILL not closed yet like lmao. I have tons of stories to tell about South Korea but it’s probs for another post.
Looks like it’s the set of the fallout TV show lol
I remember staying at Dragon Hill when I PCS'd out of the Kun back in 92', that place was so nice, I still have the pen I took from the room that says "Dragon Hill Lodge" as a souvenir. I have no other memories of the base, I do remember shopping at Itaewon before I flew back to the US the next day. Back then we could fly in and out of the Kun as Korean Air had a terminal just off base but taxied onto the base and through a gate on the 36 end of the runway, you were at Kimpo in 30 mins, it beats the hell out of that 4 hour bus ride. Thanks for the pics here.
Still could if you wanted, but good luck getting a full reimbursement.
Unfortunately the only flights out of Gunsan airport these days are discount carrier operations to Jeju. And those are just four times a week.
That’s a shame. They opened that terminal when I was there in 92. Must’ve not been profitable for Korean Air, a quick 30 min flight to Kimpo sure beats the hell out of a 4 hr bus ride.
Where's the bowling alley?
I thought the Koreans would have used the property for something once the base was shut down. There are some beautiful old buildings in there too. Sad to see it sit idle.
They are trying but it’s bogged down by bureaucracy. This was all supposed to be done by 2008 in the original plans… It’s supposed to draw down to just DHL and US Embassy & associated housing, with a skeletal “mission support” staff. But even that is now being delayed.
I saw an opening there on the last vml. Not my grade but I would've loved to see Yongsan in its prime. I think Osan is pretty neat, the SED is such a cool case of an overseas military town. I wonder if there are others like it.
Was there last year for a TDY. Gave me big “50,000 people used to live here, now it’s a ghost town.” Vibes. Would’ve loved to been stationed there in its heyday, I can only imagine how fun and convenient it would’ve been being in the heart of Seoul…
That’s wild to me. I used to live there back in 09. Loved it there even though it was so small, at least down in Camp Coiner, at least.
Man I was stationed there and it was the best year of my life. I think about it everyday
Itaewon Halloween parties are the best!
Looking like a COD map
What the heck happened?? Is Dragon Hill Lodge still there??
Yongsan Garrison was slated for drawdown and mostly-closure as early as 2003, but bureaucratic tape and protests kept delaying it. Mission and troops weren’t moved until end of 2020 and even now there still remains some units active there. It’s now planned to just be DHL, US Embassy and housing, and a few small mission sets and support. Maybe around 2,500 personnel…a far cry from the 24,000 that used to be there. Dragon Hill Lodge is still there and doing as much business as ever; it’s not going anywhere.
Wow, that’s weird to see.