Curfew still on for U.S. troops in Korea

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SEOUL, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- A two-year-old off base curfew for U.S. service members in South Korea has been extended indefinitely by the commander of U.S. forces in the country.

The curfew will be "reviewed as needed," said Gen. James Thurman in issuing the order, Stars and Stripes reported Thursday.

The order replaces a similar one issued in December 2011 that said the curfew would be reviewed quarterly.

Thurman wrote the curfew was "imposed due to operation and mission-readiness requirements."

"I expect USFK will maintain an appropriate state of awareness and mission preparedness for a significant period," he said.

The curfew prohibits the 28,500 U.S. service members in South Korea from being in off-base establishments between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. daily.

A previous commander lifted a nine-year-old curfew in July 2010, but Thurman reinstated it three months later after a series of incidents, including two high profile rape cases, involving U.S. service members.