South Korea-US combined forces headquarters to shift outside capital Seoul

ANKARA (AA) – The South Korea-US Combined Forces Command (CFC) headquarters will be relocated outside the capital Seoul by end of this month, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the South Korean Defense Ministry said the construction of a new headquarters in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of the capital, has been completed and relocation will also be complete by end of this month, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The CFC headquarters has been currently operating in main Seoul since its establishment in 1978.

“Through the relocation, the CFC plans to establish an even stronger combined defense system based on a strengthened alliance spirit and operational efficiency in Pyeongtaek, the new cradle of the alliance,” the agency cited the ministry statement.

The CFC is an alliance between Seoul and Washington to counter any threat from North Korea.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid