Title: U.S. to assume full control of remaining access gate at Osan Air Base

The U.S. Air Force in South Korea will soon implement new security procedures by taking over management of the last gate at Osan Air Base that has been jointly operated with the South Korean military, officials confirmed Thursday.

The adjustment follows a U.S. protest lodged earlier this year after a special counsel team entered the base in Pyeongtaek—about 65 kilometers south of Seoul—during a July raid tied to its investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's unsuccessful martial law attempt.

At present, U.S. authorities regulate entry to two of the three active gates at the installation, which also hosts major South Korean Air Force facilities, including the Air Force Operations Command and the Master Control and Reporting Center.

Beginning next month, when the revised access policy is enforced, South Korean personnel will be required to present U.S.-authorized defense identification cards to use the final gate. They currently enter the area using IDs issued by the South Korean government.

The U.S. 51st Fighter Wing stated that access procedures had been “updated” to reinforce security at the base.

“All adjustments were coordinated with our ROKAF counterparts,” the wing said, using the acronym for the Republic of Korea Air Force. “Ensuring the protection of Osan Air Base is a top priority, and the updated rules will further improve interoperability with our ROKAF partners.”

A South Korean Air Force representative noted that Seoul and Washington are working closely to refine the access control system but declined to provide specifics due to security considerations.

After the July raid, Lt. Gen. David Iverson, deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea, reportedly sent a letter of protest to South Korea’s foreign ministry regarding the search activity.

South Korean defense officials—including the ministers overseeing the military and the Air Force—have maintained that investigators entered areas under the jurisdiction of the South Korean military, stressing that the operation did not breach the Status of Forces Agreement governing the stationing of U.S. troops.