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| ▲ Kim Young-gyu, the United States Forces Korea (USFK)'s public affairs officer, is seen in this file photo. (Yonhap) |
USFK officer-retirement
Longest serving USFK officer to retire after 44 years of service
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- Kim Young-gyu, the United States Forces Korea (USFK)'s oldest and longest serving public affairs officer, said Wednesday he will retire later this month after 44 years of service.
Known as "the living history of the alliance between South Korea and the United States," the 76-year-old has served in the public affairs offices for the USFK, S. Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and the United Nations Command to play a bridging role between the U.S. troops and press at home and abroad.
"I still can't believe it," Kim told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "I used to have to search for news every day, but it would feel liberating from the world of news."
While serving his mandatory military service as a Korean Augmentation Troops to the U.S. Army (KATUSA) soldier, Kim witnessed the 1976 Panmunjom ax murder incident in which two American soldiers were axed to death by North Koreans inside of the truce village.
Kim made a record of the historic incident and joined the public affairs office of the 2nd Infantry Division in 1979. He moved to the public affairs office at the USFK in 1985.
The CFC will deliver a plaque of appreciation to Kim during a concert commemorating the 70th anniversary of the bilateral alliance in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on Friday.
He is scheduled to retire on Oct. 31.
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