SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, JULY 15, SPA --SOUTH KOREA TOOK OVER THE SECURITY OF 15 CLOSED U.S. MILITARY BASES ON SATURDAY IN A FIRST STEP TOWARD THEIR FORMAL RETURN TO THE COUNTRY UNDER A U.S. BASE CONSOLIDATION PLAN, THE DEFENSE MINISTRY SAID. THE BASES ARE AMONG 59 THAT THE U.S. MILITARY PLANS TORETURN TO SOUTH KOREA BY 2011. CURRENTLY, ABOUT 70 AMERICAN MILITARY BASES ARE SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. 15/07/2006 14:08 ت م www.spa.gov.sa/375681