USFK commander highlights 'centrality' of S. Korea in security of Indo-Pacific

▲ U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson speaks during the Honolulu Defense Forum, hosted by Pacific Forum, held in the namesake U.S. city from Jan. 12-13, 2026, in this photo provided by the USFK on Jan. 16. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

USFK commander-regional security

USFK commander highlights 'centrality' of S. Korea in security of Indo-Pacific

By Lee Minji

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson has recognized the "centrality" of South Korea in the U.S. security strategy in the Indo-Pacific, noting how it hosts "the only United States forces assigned to the Asian continent inside the First Island Chain."

Brunson made the remarks during a closed-door discussion themed "Korea as Strategic Key Terrain During Competition, Crisis, and Conflict" held as part of the Honolulu Defense Forum, hosted by Pacific Forum, which took place in the namesake U.S. city from Monday through Tuesday, according to excerpts of the commander's remarks shared by the USFK on Friday.

"I think that there's a recognition now of the centrality of Korea and of the peninsula," he said, when asked about views that assess the military commands in South Korea as being isolated from other regional security issues.

"When we moor ourselves to the peninsula, when that mythology is allowed to continue to exist, what we do is we present less dilemmas to the adversaries of the region," he said. "We show ourselves to be less able and less capable to project power from the peninsula."

The USFK commander's remarks came as Washington has urged Seoul and other regional allies to contribute to safeguarding the First Island Chain, which stretches from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines and is seen as a key perimeter for America's preeminence against China in the region.

Against such a backdrop, Brunson highlighted "the potential that exists from that position, by virtue of the strength of the ally who we serve alongside every day" and noted the potential of the combined defense posture as "incredible," according to the USFK.

On the sidelines of the forum, the USFK commander held bilateral talks with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Gen. Romeo Brawner, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to discuss regional security issues.

Brunson has underscored the potential of a "strategic triangle" among South Korea, Japan and the Philippines for regional security cooperation in the so-called east-up map, which puts the east at the top rather than standard north-up mapping.

He has noted how the three countries are each equipped with unique capabilities -- Korea's central depth, Japan's technological advantage and maritime reach, and the Philippines' access to key southern sea lanes.

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