Camp Humphreys, the largest American military base outside the US, sits in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, spanning 1,372 hectares with nearly 1,000 buildings and a population of about 41,000. It serves as headquarters for United States Forces Korea (USFK) and is a key symbol of the US-South Korea alliance, which has maintained stability on the Korean peninsula since the 1953 armistice.
However, the alliance is under strain as US President Donald Trump adopts a more transactional approach to foreign relations. Tensions have arisen over trade, security guarantees, and troop deployments. After Trump announced a withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany, South Korean media speculated whether similar reductions could occur in South Korea. The defence ministry and presidential office denied any such discussions, and USFK stated that the current 28,500 troops are a baseline, not a limit.
Other incidents have further strained ties, including a US immigration raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia, threats to hike tariffs on South Korean goods to 25%, and a partial restriction on intelligence sharing after a South Korean minister publicly identified a suspected North Korean nuclear site. Talks on nuclear-powered submarines also stalled following a data breach at a US-incorporated company.
Despite these political frictions, Camp Humphreys remains a fully operational military base. The Vandal Training Center features state-of-the-art facilities, including a pool for helicopter crash simulations, a medical room with bleeding mannequins for battlefield evacuation drills, and virtual-reality simulators for combat scenarios. Base officials maintain a readiness standard of 'fight tonight'.
North Korea continues to pose a threat with its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and in late 2024 it deployed over 12,000 troops to support Russia in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Pentagon’s national defence strategy, published in January, suggests that South Korea should take 'primary responsibility' for deterring North Korea, indicating a potential shift in the division of labour within the alliance.
