Seoul, Aug 11 The commander of the US Forces Korea (USFK) has said the role of the US-led multinational UN Command (UNC) will "absolutely" continue to evolve amid regional security challenges, such as deepening alignment between North Korea and Russia.
The remark by Gen. Xavier Brunson, who also serves as the commander of the UNC and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command, came as North Korea and Russia have been seeking to strengthen their military cooperation through the deployment of troops and weapons.
"That cooperation matters even more now, as we see the DPRK drawing closer to Russia, and as Indo-Pacific and European security become more tightly linked," Brunson said in a written statement released Monday to the defence press corps. DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's formal name.
Brunson called UNC member states "like-minded nations putting people, resources, and political will behind the enforcement of the Armistice and the broader stability of Northeast Asia" and voiced expectation for an expansion in their roles as well as new memberships.
Last year, Germany formally joined the UNC as the 18th member state, marking the first expansion of the force in more than a decade, while the Netherlands and New Zealand have deployed additional troops this year, reports Yonhap news agency.
"Will UNC's role continue to evolve? Absolutely -- as the security environment changes and as our member states see new ways to contribute," Brunson said. "If there are nations that share our values, share our commitment, and are ready to operate under the Armistice framework, then we'll work with them, always in close consultation with the Republic of Korea (ROK)."
Addressing concerns over a delayed plan by the USFK to build a drone hangar at Kunsan Air Base, reportedly due to the US reallocation of budget for the Mexico border wall, the USFK commander stressed his continued focus on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
"I understand the value of persistent ISR on this Peninsula," Brunson said, while declining to comment on details regarding budget issues. "We never take our eyes off the threats ... we will stay ready."
In a press conference with the defence press corps on Friday, Brunson highlighted the importance of being equipped with the right capabilities when asked about a replacement of ISR assets deployed to the peninsula.
"There are systems that have left, and there are systems that have come," he said Friday. "I've got new and improved capabilities that we've brought that are partnered with ROK capabilities, that allow us to have the same visibility, if not better, than we had before."
The US Army's new ATHENA-R ISR aircraft reportedly has been deployed to the Korean Peninsula earlier this year for a monthslong operational assessment.
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