USFK Protests Korean Sovereignty, Cites 'SOFA' for Troops
According to the Korea Times, USFK Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. David Iverson formally protested Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs because a Korean special counsel dared to conduct a search on Osan Air Base on July 21—without prior U.S. permission. The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), a relic from direct military occupation, allows U.S. personnel and bases extraordinary immunity and
extraterritoriality on Korean soil. This isn't just about base access; it explicitly states that U.S. courts, not Korean ones, handle most crimes committed by U.S. servicemembers. So, when Seoul investigates its own domestic martial law declaration, the U.S. military apparently expects a 'please-may-we-enter-our-own-country' request. One might wonder if this 'alliance' is less about partnership
and more about perpetual suzerainty, where U.S. interests supersede Korean sovereignty. The audacity of a nation inquiring into its own history, unimpeded, must be truly shocking to those accustomed to operating above local law.