It would take an incredible amount of work to clean it up and if 2ID doesn't want soldiers to do it for safety reasons then hiring a team of local Koreans to do it should be explored.

…and therefore may well be artifacts of the Korean War…

Accuse me of having a defeatist attitude if you will, but given that construction workers were given permission to dynamite a bolder on which a Chosun king would rest upon while write poetry (and at one point inscribed his name and poems in it), I wouldn't hold my breathe for this to stop.

In any case, if we are to talk about eyesores, lets talk not forget the propaganda slogans carved on the flanks of rocky North Korean mountains.

According to this article, most of this graffiti is over 40 years old. The article didn't mention that any of the graffiti was lewd, obscene, anti-US or anti-Korean or otherwise objectionable other than some considered it an "eyesore". I suspect it was unit motto's and insignia of units that have served here in Korea. I know Korean units also have practiced, shall we call it "military tagging".

What I am pondering is at what point does graffiti go from being an eyesore to being a historical artifact? 40, 50 100, 500 or 1000 years. What of its' cultural significance to future generations? The Korean war and subsequent military buildup (US and ROK) over the last 60 years were significant and defining moments in Korean history. In 300 years or so some of this graffiti would possible be eligible for UNESCO protection, and we all know how much the Korean people value such designations for any of their cultural assets.

Not to mention that these eyesores represent generations of soldiers and their units, both US and ROK, who have sacrificed these many years to ensure freedom and prosperity on the southern half of this peninsula.

In extremo: Many petroglyphs are exposed along the hillside rockface in Taegong-ri, Onyang-myon, Ulsan, mostly of prey, including deer, wild boars, bears, whales, and fish. This could also be considered graffiti. Let's hop to it Graffiti Busters! I know there is some 30,000 year old graffiti in Chauvet Cave in France. Perhaps some nice spelunkers will venture in there and clean that place up too! C'mon Paint Peeling Posse!

…and don't get me started on Mt. Rushmore. Gutzon Borglum really F*kced that whole mountain up.

Personally, when I am gazing at the majestic peaks of Korea which surround me (as I do often), and I spy a bunch of wrinkled, rumpled and sweaty hikers sporting bulging back packs and walking sticks, slurpping from camel backs and water bottles, their hairy legs bare, trudging across or atop those same majestic peaks, I do so admire, I often consider THAT an eyesore.

What was the mountain behind our base? That had a lot of graffiti on it as well. I was amazed that no one went to do anything about as it stoodout throughout the whole city of Uijeongbu.