[Exclusive] Osan Air Base security measure raises data breach concerns

After special counsel’s raid last year, US forces tighten security procedures, expanding collection of Korean nationals’ sensitive data

Osan Air Base, a key hub for South Korea-US air operations, has become the center of controversy over how sensitive personal data of Korean nationals is handled — raising concerns about consent, oversight and control over when such information is collected and retained by a foreign military authority.

According to multiple sources on Sunday, the South Korean Air Force’s Operations Command headquartered at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, is collecting full resident registration numbers of reservists mobilized for training and submitting them to the US 7th Air Force, which operates the base jointly with South Korean forces.

“In the past, reservists could enter the base under Korean military escort,” a South Korean Air Force official told The Korea Herald, speaking on condition of anonymity. “But since US forces now manage access control, identity verification standards have changed.”

“Previously, the Military Manpower Administration provided only basic information such as name, contact details, and date of birth,” the official added. “Now, US forces are requesting full resident registration numbers.”

The resident registration number is a 13-digit code that serves as South Korea’s primary national ID, similar in