US military warned of S.Korea, Japan cost overruns

WASHINGTON — A US government report warned on Wednesday that the Pentagon was likely underestimating billions of dollars in costs for a controversial restructuring of bases in South Korea and Japan.

The Government Accountability Office, a non-partisan investigative arm of Congress, pointed in particular to the costs from a plan to allow more US troops in South Korea to bring their families.

The Pentagon "is transforming the facilities and infrastructure that support its posture in Asia without the benefit of comprehensive cost information or an analysis of alternatives," the report said.

The study said that the Pentagon anticipated $17.6 billion through 2020 for its plan in South Korea, which includes leaving the Yongsan base in the heart of Seoul where troops have often had friction with residents.

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