The Stars & Stripes have released today their next report on overseas military gambling and it is filled with lots of juicy information:
U.S. Forces Korea is taking stringent new measures to prevent illegal gambling and loan profiteering off slot machines at military bases, USFK and Morale, Welfare and Recreation officials said.
USFK officials have ordered 100 percent identification card checks at all gambling facilities; base access rosters showing guest and sponsor names are under review; and commander Gen B.B. Bell will release a new gambling regulation no later than March 24, USFK spokesman Col. Franklin Childress said last week.
The action comes on the heels of a Stars and Stripes investigation into the slot machine program and a Stripes memo sent to USFK and Installation Management Command-Korea officials seeking comment on the depth of alleged wrongdoing. Stripes learned from numerous sources over several weeks of reporting that much of the slot machine gambling on bases is illegally conducted by South Koreans escorted by people with authorized base access. [Stars & Stripes]
It is about time someone did something. The fact that Koreans have been illegally using slot machines on USFK facilities is the worst kept secret in USFK that was indirectly promoting corruption. Last year’s change in the civilian access policy was supposed to stop this activity, but obviously it did not. The fact that they have to do 100% ID checks now is evidence enough of this fact. The crackdown on illegal gamblers appears to be having an effect according to ROK Drop commenters who say the slots are cleared out of Koreans now. It just makes you wonder why this wasn’t done a long time ago. It appears a blind eye has been turned on this activity for years because of the money the Korean gamblers were brining in.
This is what USFK had to say about this matter:
Military and MWR officials said those claims remain unsubstantiated, but a full investigation is ongoing with the goals of keeping the game rooms safe, abiding by the law and ensuring no one is using any MWR facility as an illegal business venture.
“Since these allegations have come to light, we have dramatically ramped up enforcement activities,†said Dan Ahern, chief of MWR for IMCOM-Korea. “The allegations are taken very seriously and frankly, we appreciate them coming to light so we can talk about aggressive action. With your help and your readers out there … I think it’s a problem we can put a stop to.â€
"Unsubstantiated"? That is like saying blackmarketing in USFK is unsubstantiated. Everyone knows it is going on and little has been done to address it. I have been bringing this issue up for literally years now on the ROK Drop and finally something is being done about it. Are we next going to hear USFK officials claim that the ajushis who sign people on post and charge them to use the USFK golf courses is "unsubstantied" as well?
Make sure to read the rest of the Stars & Stripes article because they provide plenty of other good information including what happened to the ajumma that got caught making $1.2 million dollars signing in people on post to gamble. The Stripes say she received a suspended sentence which tends to give credence to claims that Ms. Kim was back on post doing the same activity.Â
It is outrageous that a soldier that works hard all day and has probably served in war zone and maybe even taken a bullet for his country will not make as much money in his entire career as this woman and the others like her are making off of illegal gambling that USFK is allowing to go on. Additionally, this activity is encouraging corruption within the USFK facilities and with the gate guards, which causes force protection concerns. This is all why I believe slot machines should be removed from USFK facilities despite the loss in gambling revenue such a measure would entitle.
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6:24 pm on January 30th, 2008 1
I don’t have time to look up the comment, but a few weeks ago CPT Kim left a comment on this blog something to the effect that the staff of DHL actually alerts the Korean gamblers before there is going to be an ID check, giving them time to make a clean getaway…if the Korean staff is in on it, then who can we trust? (rhetorical question)
7:16 pm on January 30th, 2008 2
Forgive me if I do not exude confidence that this will work.
7:32 pm on January 30th, 2008 3
What Crap
The goal is to operate a safe place and operate IAW the law and make sure no one is using the place for illegal business venture>
What crap….no where there does is say they will keep Non SOFA people out of there because it takes from their business
Oh and the Thank the newspaper for bringing this issue to their attention….what craP
8:09 pm on January 30th, 2008 4
Colonel Taliento stopped it at Camp Humphreys, so it can be done.
8:35 pm on January 30th, 2008 5
I’m not getting my hopes up either if this will remain a long term enforcement. The only way to ensure the corruption doesn’t restart is to take out the slot machines.
9:40 pm on January 30th, 2008 6
Go ask the DBIDS administrator for the ROK, how many Koreans have access to only USAG-Yongsan. You would never believe me that over 20,000 Korean Citizens, not US Citizens are authorized access. I know what your thinking, well a lot of those 22,000 work on base. I don’t think so. There are a few people who have sponsored well over 500 people each to have free access to USAG-Yongsan. If you want easy access to base the three people who sponsor more Koreans are the guy that runs the USO, the guy who runs the MP Association and the guy who runs the AUSA chapter. Funny how these charitable organizations can sponsor so many, I wonder how and why they do it….
10:10 am on January 31st, 2008 7
“Funny how these charitable organizations can sponsor so many, I wonder how and why they do it….”
Must be the “Good Neighbor Program” in action.
No GI, I do not use the slots myself, nor most MWR facilities (nor do I know many people that do), but I do not think we should surrender them simply because our enforcment sucks. That is no excuse.
Let’s face it, the Korean employees are the ones that end up on the tip of the spear of enforcment. Let’s do something, while unheard of in Korea, that is done in most workplaces world-wide, hold them accountable.
If a non-ID card holder is caught in the KN employees’ AO (like the slot room):
1st time: warning
2nd time: reprimand
3rd time: termination
I do not care if they have to hire a few dedicated KN’s to do it. Spend a few of those $’s on meeting the SOFA requirments.
I’m outa here…
10:33 am on January 31st, 2008 8
The point of getting the slot machines off base, was the congressman’s argument that gambling caused a soldier’s suicide. So while we’re at it, S&S writes about shady activities in these gambling dens.
1) Is Joe getting hurt by these people coming on base and gambling/donating money? No, there is no injury.
2) Is Joe losing out because, FN’s are taking consumables from him ie, black marketing? No, there is no theft.
3) Is Joe susceptible to addiction from gambling? Yes, but on-base facilities still sell tobacco and alcohol, both of which will kill and can be abused or become addicted to, and there are ways of dealing with addiction.
4) Is Joe an adult capable of making conscious decisions knowing the consequences of his actions? Yes, soldiers go to war, they balance checkbooks (maybe not perfectly, but that’s human), and can decide how to spend his well earn free time.
I really dislike the congressman’s proposal. It feels like he is pushing his beliefs on us. Now, if the base commander or theater commander says he doesn’t want whatever on his base, then that’s that, but if the next commander does want it, then let it be.
I don’t condone the corrupt activities on base, but mostly it’s Korean-on-Korean. I don’t really care how much loan sharking or stuff happens. That money gets put into the base’s coffers. That lady that makes more money than Joe was smart. The system was setup by us and she used every loophole available. It should be up to us to close those loophole and follow up on base sign-ons.
Now as far as the gate guards, who the hell had that brain-fart for putting Koreans in charge of base gates? That’s the fox watching the hen-house! We used to have MP’s. We could/did hold the MP’s to a higher standard and if they took bribes to come on base, we could get them a lot easier than a shady Korean contractor. I mean come on! I want to date some of them, and the rest of them….the school children to beat up.
11:10 am on January 31st, 2008 9
I agree I don’t like the fact a Southern Bapist Congressman is pushing this legislation. Like you I think soldiers can make up their own mind whether they want to gamble or not just like they can make up their own minds if they want to drink or smoke cigarettes.
If USFK was able to actually consistently enforce the gambling regulations than I would support keeping the machines. However, maybe I have spent to much time in Korea and I am to cynical but I fully expect the current crackdown will not last. How many black marketing crackdowns have we heard about over the years?
1:25 pm on January 31st, 2008 10
Ummm…pretty much once every change of command since 1959 at least?
It makes for a good OER comment, and you’ve got to make it sound like it’s the first time it’s ever been done, so right now the scene is already set for the next commander to tighten down on shady base access.
4:27 pm on January 31st, 2008 11
While USFK is on this kick, maybe they should also start to do some other pre-Spring cleaning. How about a review of some of the other Special Access rackets on the bases?
A good place to start would be to look into activities related to the “guests” invited to the golf courses. They will be ramping up in only a few short months. I doubt if even Stars and Stripes and USFK have the stones to turn the spotlight there.
4:45 pm on January 31st, 2008 12
In response to to Mark’s first comment. I have sat in the DHL( by the piano) waiting to meet people for dinner and you can see the old Korean ladies sitting, peering over the wall that separates the sitting area with the Lobby. When they see certain people they make the call and half the people leave the Slot room. One time me and some friends actually sat an extra 30 mins. to watch the herd run out after the call was made.
4:50 pm on January 31st, 2008 13
Kormatt,
Aha!!! I always wondered about those shady beeeatches.
InsideOut,
GI Korea already covered that a few months ago. People made a fuss and the can was kicked down the road a couple of years, just like everything else on pen.
That’s why we can’t get simple sh!t like black marketing, NEO, and counterfire sorted out after 50 years of “reviewing.”
8:11 pm on January 31st, 2008 14
Mark,
I can’t believe you through “counterfire” in there. That’s hilarious.
12:18 am on February 2nd, 2008 15
The following is purely speculative and hearsay:
True that it is almost non-existant at Humphreys. But it is still in full swing at Yongsan and Osan. The loans still exist, usually 10-20% due in a week. The larger loans are 10% paid every month till the balance is paid off. But the “crackdown” has just moved the escorts to another trade. (yes, they have a great warning system when they are going to do checks. random checks are alerted 5-10 minutes before they come through)
the new scam. signing contractors on base. The “escort” receives between 80-120 thousand won a day to sign laborers on base/post and then off they go to the slot room, leaving the contractor unattended. It is also as blatant as they do all these sideline activites, because they feel they will not be stopped. And they are right, you can see the “escorts” at whatever gate a base/post uses for signing in people and vehicles, talking about where they are going, and what time they can be expected back.
Managing these deals can get you 10% finders fee, so just by finding people to sign others on base/post, along with your 100 a day can ad up to a tidy sum.
12:20 am on February 2nd, 2008 16
golf has always been a pretty sweet deal for them also…
no one performs checks on the golf course.
5:34 am on February 2nd, 2008 17
[...] the issue of whether or not to ban on post gambling in USFK is drawing so much interest here on the ROK Drop I figured it would be interesting to see [...]
10:24 am on February 2nd, 2008 18
“unsubstantiated”
Todays Word is: DOUCHEBAGGERY
1)The philosophy held by douchebags, holding that no one other than themselves (or perhaps their close associates) matters in the least bit, and thus that other human beings can and should be treated like complete excrement for little or no reason (and often for selfish reasons). Closely related to fascism, which has been practiced by control freaks such as Adolf Hitler.
2)The act of putting this philosophy into practice.
1)Some notable (historical and otherwise) adherents of douchebaggery: Josef Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, George W. Bush, Adolf Hitler, Andrew Jackson, George Lincoln Rockwell, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, USFK, MWR
12:06 pm on February 2nd, 2008 19
Off Topic -
Cloying,
I disagree that Andrew Jackson was an adherent or a douchebag. He killed the Bank of America during his term and the idea of a central bank wasn’t revived until the 1870’s. “Old Hickory” had the best interests of the American people in mind and not his own. Too bad none of the modern day politicians are talking about getting rid of the Federal Reserve. Ron Paul does, but he’s a statesman.
8:19 pm on February 2nd, 2008 20
MT,
While I agree the golf course is overrun with Koreans you do have to remember that every SOFA individual can play with up to three guests. There are also a LOT of Honorary members (Gov’t officials and the good neigbor program personel) that can also play. There is no way to check ID on the course but you must have at least one SOFA ID person in your group at the starter box.
8:35 pm on February 2nd, 2008 21
I haven’t played golf in a couple of years but back when I was playing regularly military members had absolute priority over everyone at Seongnam, which is the way it should be. Are any of you in the military? If so, have you ever had a problem getting a Tee time?
10:03 am on February 3rd, 2008 22
Rob,
This is how it’s SUPPOSED to go:
Active duty military tee times three days out.
SOFA ID members three days out without guests.
SOFA ID/ Honorary Members two days out with guests.
Many people just show up and wait as a lot of teetimes are no shows. All the military guys I played with didn’t have a problem getting on. Many people complain because they don’t get the exact tee time they want you have to be flexible as everyone wants the same block of time. I can tell you from experience that OSAN is a different animal. I will never play there again it was the most coorupt place I’ve ever played.
5:08 pm on February 3rd, 2008 23
Every now and then on the weekend I take my wife to the Oriental House (Osan golf course restaurant) for lunch and 99.9999999999999% of the time, I’m the only non-Korean in there. But that may be because not too many base residents like the food in there…maybe they prefer Taco Bell and Subway…who knows?
5:39 pm on February 3rd, 2008 24
Probably has to do with the price of stake (steak)
7:26 pm on February 3rd, 2008 25
Matt, we used to go up for the early bird Tee times on Saturday and Sunday and I can remember getting bumped back on the list by military guys several times, which was no problem at all; that’s the way it should be. We eventually got on the course, it just took a little while. From what I saw, Seongnam seemed to be pretty fair about things, but I can’t say anything about Osan because I’ve never golfed there.
8:54 pm on February 3rd, 2008 26
Lets face it, the only way to get something done is to have a US Congressman or a Senator have the leadership answer to them. None of this passes the common sense test. From porno magazines, tobacco, and alcohol to $25,000 diamond rings; the best meat in the commissary going to Koreans who probably turn right around and sell it; the Korean Mob Bosses eating at Commiskys to the point the Americans are stuck in a back corner; the new sushi place at the embassy having some Korean citizen tell the staff how to cater specifically to the Koreans; the corrupt SSRT and taxi service on Yongsan; the corruption at ration control that allows Koreans access to the commissary
(Keep in mind, the Commissary is subsidized by the Congress)
The greed of the Koreans is unmatched anywhere in the world from what I’ve seen. With a Soldier there are punishments for infractions, with a Korean, what is the worst that will happen?
Write your Congressman, it couldn’t be any easier and they want to clean things up just like you do. Here is how you can write them:
https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
8:24 am on February 5th, 2008 27
SSRT…oh man, isnt THAT a system.
Cable and internet are the worst…..wait…the sat service they offer is….oh…i think this may drag off topic….
i’ll wait for a just thread to address this….unless its just rehashing things i havent yet seen here.
by the way…thanks for the site….i cant handle the english teacher bitching posts elsewhere….i like it here and at roberts…..
2:08 pm on May 30th, 2008 28
8:50 pm on June 5th, 2008 29
[...] tried to address the illegal blackmarketing with mixed results and has been largely successul in stopping the illegal gambling operations. There is still a lot more that needs to be done to make the USFK transformation a [...]
7:10 am on July 7th, 2008 30
[...] appears that the illegal gambling crackdown is having its desired [...]
12:14 pm on October 5th, 2008 31
[...] USFK to Take Action Against Illegal Gambling [...]