Regarding the U.S. Forces Korea's protest after the special counsel team on insurrection searched Osan Air Base, Ahn Gyu-baek, Minister of the Ministry of National Defense, said on Oct. 17 that it was "not an issue to consult with the U.S. side at all."
Appearing at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit of the military court that day, the Minister said, "The special counsel limited the search and seizure to Korean military space," adding the above.
Recently, U.S. Forces Korea reportedly sent a letter of protest under the name of Deputy Commander David Iverson to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressing concern over the special counsel's search and seizure on Jul. 21 of the Air Force's Master Control and Reporting Center (MCRC) of the Air Defense and Control Command at Osan Base. The MCRC is located in the Korea Air and Space Operations Center (KAOC) building at Osan Base, which is jointly used by Korea and the United States.
Regarding the KAOC, the Minister said, "Only the entrance and exit are jointly used by the militaries of Korea and the United States, and inside there are separate Korean and U.S. spaces," adding, "Because the search and seizure was in the Korean space, we judged there was no need to notify the United States." He added, "In the broader sense, it is not a violation of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)."
In addition, Ahn, who said he had been informed after receiving the U.S. Forces Korea's protest letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "There was a protest, but I was told by the Minister of Foreign Affairs that the misunderstanding over the matter had been resolved."