Songtan

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Songtan is a town in the Republic of Korea (ROK), also known as South Korea, in Gyeonggido province. While at one time its own city, it was merged with the neighbouring, larger city of Pyeongtaek in 2002, but most residents still consider it to be a separate city. There is an administrative office building which is English is rendered "City Hall". Songtan has a variety of infrastructure and economy, but perhaps its best known feature is Osan Air Base.

Osan Air Base

Osan Air Base is a "forward deployed" base of the United States Air Force. "Osan" is the name of a city lying a few miles north, but it is widely said that the Americans named the base Osan because it was easier for them to pronounce. There are many U.S. and R.O.K. troops stationed at Osan Air Base, most of which are Air Force, but there are also others from all the different services.

Immediately outside the base is a district with many bars, dance clubs, small shops, and restaurants. This area is commonly referred to as "the ville" or "outside the gate" by the troops stationed on the base, but officially it is known as Shinjang Shopping Mall. Although most troops must live in the barracks on the base, there is a sizeable American population residing off the base. The immediate area outside the base is highly dependent on the base members as the driving force of the economy. Many bar owners employ women, known as juicy girls to encourage the (male) customers to buy drinks. This practice has come under scrutiny in recent years for possible connections with human trafficking, which USFK has been trying hard to deter.

Small shops are also a staple of the Shinjang area. Many Americans are eager to buy custom-made clothing at prices much cheaper than in the U.S., from the skilled artisans who line the mall. There are also leather workers and painters who cater to the Americans. Americans are eager to haggle with the shop owners to obtain the best deal, and the shop owners are usually willing to play along.

Many of the establishments gladly accept US dollars as well as Korean won.

Outside the base

Once you get further away from the base it is easier to see authentic Korean towns, rather than what has been constructed to lure the Americans. From the downtown bus station, it is easy to take a bus to Seoul, which is about one hour north. In 2005 the subway/train line from Seoul connected all the way to Cheonan, with a station in Songtan. It is very easy to get from Songtan to other cities- Osan, Suwon, or Seoul to the north, and Pyeongtaek, Cheonan, and Daejeon to the south. You can also ride the KTX, which is the newly built bullet train to Pusan.

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