US Military Base Commander Apologizes to Pyeongtaek City for ‘No Mask Dance Party’ … Some Facilities Closed

Check-in 2020.12.08 23:27

On the 4th, a dance party was held at Humphreys Camp in Pyeongtaek.
USFK’s own quarantine rules are also violated
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly requests the USFK to avoid recurrence

Amid the rapid spread of the crown, a dance party in which most of the participants did not wear masks was held at Camp Humphreys, a US military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do. The USFK side apologized to the city of Pyeongtaek on the 8th and is considering the additional closure of some facilities at the base to prevent a repeat.

The city of Pyeongtaek said that base commander Michael Tremblay Humphreys apologized by calling the mayor of Pyeongtaek the night before, and 51st Fighter Flight Commander Gonzalez also made an apology call to Mayor Jung this morning. The USFK party is said to have also reported that it is taking the necessary measures, such as closing the event venue in conjunction with the investigation of the dance party.

Mayor Jung said: “The USFK side has also made great efforts to prevent the spread of Corona 19 to the local community, but this may increase the concern and anxiety of the local community,” he said. “I ask for the prevention of recurrence and full compliance with the quarantine rules.” .

According to the USFK and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the night of the 4th, a Humphreys Salsa Club dance party was held at the ‘Flyline Tap Room’ restaurant on Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. Photos and videos posted by some of the participants on social media (SNS) showed dozens of participants dancing together without wearing masks or wearing them properly. It violated the ROK government’s quarantine guidelines, which was the second stage of social distancing at the time, as well as the US military’s own quarantine rules.

In this regard, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The USFK side is also taking measures corresponding to the severity of the problem and is preparing various measures to prevent it from happening again. According to the Foreign Ministry, the USFK side is actively considering additional measures following the closure of some facilities at the restaurant and bar where the dance party took place on the 4th. All dance-goers on the bases of Osan and Pyeongtaek conduct crown tests, expand random crown tests for soldiers at the base, and also close the entertainment facilities at the base.

The Foreign Ministry noted that these cases of quarantine violations through the channel of the Korea Status Agreement of US Forces (SOFA) could cause great disappointment to the Korean people, explaining that it is strongly calling prevention of recurrence and tangible measures.