U.S. forces chief says South Korea paid for 90 percent of biggest overseas base

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walks with U.S. General Vincent K. Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, upon his arrival at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea June 13, 2018. Jung Yeon-je/Pool via REUTERS

PYEONGTAEK, South Korea (Reuters) - The chief of the U.S. military forces commended South Korea for shouldering nearly all the cost of building the largest U.S. overseas military base, in a speech at the formal opening of the new headquarters in Pyeongtaek.

"This was a project that cost nearly $10.8 billion to build over 10 years and the Republic of Korea investment was over 90 percent of the cost," Commander Vincent Brooks said at the base, around 65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Seoul.