Korea, US conduct security training after Osan Air Base gate access update

Korean and U.S. troops have conducted drills to standardize new entry procedures at Osan Air Base, the U.S. Air Force said Monday, following its decision to transfer control of access to gates from previous joint management to the U.S. side. The move comes a month after the U.S. 51st Fighter Wing said that base access requirements have been "updated" to ensure security, in a move that would mandate Korean military personnel use U.S.-approved identification cards to access gates at the air base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. "Installation security is a shared responsibility," a U.S. Air Force Operations Command representative was quoted as saying in a release. "By training together and operating under a single set of procedures, we reduce vulnerabilities and improve our ability to protect the entire installation." The fighter wing said the unified procedures were "developed through coordination and negotiation between U.S. and ROKAF leadership, with both sides contributing to procedures that support overall safety and security of Osan." ROKAF is short for the Republic of Korea Air Forc