USFK Modernization Prioritizes Capability Over Troop Strength

US Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson revealed plans for USFK modernization during a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the 21st (local time). He stated that the focus would be on strengthening military capabilities rather than increasing troop numbers. Brunson explained that USFK units' participation in Indo-Pacific Command exercises demonstrates their potential to project power from Korea and support deterrence across the Indo-Pacific region.

Adm. Samuel Paparo, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, expressed concern over the deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Paparo pointed out that North Korea's development of nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missiles poses a direct threat to the U.S. homeland and its allies.

Brunson confirmed that THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) systems are deployed on the Korean Peninsula and that munitions are ready for movement. This marks the first time a senior US military official has publicly confirmed the non-removal of THAAD systems.

Brunson reiterated his stance on the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), stating that "political expediency should not precede conditions."