According to reports from foreign media such as Yonhap and AP, on August 4, eight South Korean college students were arrested for entering the U-SAFE Air Base of the US military in South Korea and shouting anti-US slogans.
According to Korean police, these students were members of the ‘Korean College Students’ Progressive Federation. They broke into the main gate of Ulsan Air Base at 10:15 am on April 4th. Six of them shouted anti-American slogans such as ‘Down with the United States Seventh Air Force’, while two others were stopped at the entrance.
The US military in South Korea detained these students on the spot and transferred them to the Korean police. The police plan to investigate them for suspected violations of the Military Base and Military Facilities Protection Act.
The U.S. military claims in a statement that "Any unauthorized entry into U.S. military facilities without authorization will be dealt with extremely seriously."
Wushan Base is the headquarters of the United States Seventh Air Force, and it also serves as a key air hub for the U.S. military in Korea.
"Korean University Student Progressive Association" subsequently released a statement on social media, demanding the immediate release of the students who have been detained. The organization stated that these students were protesting the "U.S. obstruction of the South Korean semiconductor industry cluster project."
The South Korean government has recently determined that the military airport in Gwangju, located in the southwest of South Korea, will be used to develop a semiconductor industry cluster. Since this airport is jointly operated by South Korea and the United States, it involves US military facilities and military interests. Therefore, South Korea will consult with the United States regarding the relocation of the airport and must obtain the consent of the United States.
