SEOUL: The commander of American forces stationed in South Korea said Monday that Seoul "is not simply responding to threats" on the Korean Peninsula, as Washington has urged Seoul and other regional allies to contribute to safeguarding maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
General Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea (USFK), made the remark at a forum on the alliance with the US, citing the new US National Security Strategy that emphasized the need for Seoul and Tokyo to build capabilities to defend the First Island Chain, a key perimeter for America's preeminence against China in the Pacific, while mentioning nothing about North Korea.
"The recently published US National Security Strategy reflects this reality by emphasizing the decisive importance of not only this region but of Korea herself and the vital role that capable, like-minded partners play in keeping the Indo-Pacific stable and predictable, " Brunson said in a speech at the forum, Yonhap News Agency reported.