South Korea Urges Firm US Alliance Readiness Amid Security Shifts

During the visit to the CFC based at Camp Humphreys, a key US base in Pyeongtaek located some 60 kilometres south of Seoul, Ahn met with US Forces Korea (USFK) Commander General Xavier Brunson, who also doubles as the CFC Commander, according to the ministry.

In their meeting, Ahn noted how his visit to the command -- his first on-site inspection of the year -- shows the importance of the allies' combined defence posture and called for efforts to swiftly carry out agreements their leaders reached during summit talks in October and an annual security meeting by the allies' defence chiefs the following month, Yonhap News Agency reported.

In the Security Consultative Meeting held in November, the defence chiefs of the two countries agreed to develop a road map designed to "expedite" the implementation of conditions for the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul, which South Korea seeks to achieve by 2030.

Ahn called the CFC the "heart" of the South Korea-US alliance and called for an unwavering combat readiness posture in a rapidly changing security environment, according to the ministry.

"I hope the CFC plays a central role in 2026 for South Korea and the US to bolster their combined defence posture and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

He also delivered a new year's message to South Korean and American troops and thanked them for their efforts in supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the USFK Commander said he is honored to host Ahn for his first official engagement of the new year and vowed to continue to bolster the allies' combined defence posture.

"Together, we will continue to strengthen the ROK-US Alliance to defend the Peninsula and advance peace and stability across the region," Brunson said. ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.

Following the visit, the defence ministry confirmed that no decision has been made in regards to the operation of a US Army squadron in South Korea, which was reported to have been deactivated, citing consultations with the USFK.

"South Korea and the US maintain a robust combined defence posture amid a close consultation and coordination system over USFK asset operations," it said in a notice to reporters.

The remark came after a recent US Congressional Research Service report showed that the 5th Air Cavalry Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment (5-17 ACS) at Camp Humphreys ceased operations on December 15.

Last week, a Pentagon official said no decision has been made on the fate of the US Army squadron, apparently indicating that the squadron is still active.

5-17 ACS is known to have had hundreds of personnel, as well as aviation and reconnaissance assets, including AH-64E Apache helicopters and RQ-7B Shadow drones. It has served in Korea to support the 2nd Infantry Division since May 2022.

- IANS