Foreign Minister Cho Hyun Meets Former USFK Commanders: "Strengthening the ROK-US Combined Defense Posture"
Meeting with Former Commanders Bell, Abrams, and LaCamera
"U.S. Extended Deterrence Commitment Essential"
Gauging Sentiment in U.S. Circles Amid Hormuz Deployment Debate
Coordinating Talks with Rubio Later This Month
Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun met with former commanders of United States Forces Korea (USFK) to emphasize the importance of the U.S. security commitment to the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the maintenance and strengthening of combined defense posture. This meeting with former high-ranking U.S. military officers drew attention as discussions continue over the possibility of dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 14, Minister Cho met this afternoon with former USFK commanders Burwell Bell, Robert Abrams, and Paul LaCamera. General Bell led the USFK from 2006 to 2008, General Abrams from 2018 to 2021, and General LaCamera from 2021 to 2024.
Minister Cho and the former commanders agreed that, given the grave security situation on the Korean Peninsula, it is critical to maintain and strengthen the firm combined defense posture between South Korea and the United States based on the U.S.'s unwavering extended deterrence commitment.
The former commanders noted that they are striving to broaden support for the South Korea-U.S. alliance in the United States through various activities. They also stated that they will continue to play necessary roles for the ongoing development of the alliance.
Minister Cho expressed his appreciation to them for being long-standing friends of Korea and strong supporters of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, and asked for their continued interest in and support for the alliance moving forward.
This meeting was arranged as the former commanders were visiting Korea to attend an event hosted by the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation. While it was not an official consultation to discuss bilateral issues directly, observers suggest that it served as an opportunity to gauge the atmosphere within U.S. security and diplomatic circles amidst the ongoing debate over the possible deployment to Hormuz.
In particular, some in the government stress that maintaining readiness on the Korean Peninsula is crucial when considering the possible deployment to the Strait of Hormuz. In this context, the emphasis placed by both sides on the maintenance and strengthening of the combined defense posture between South Korea and the United States during this meeting is seen as noteworthy.
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Minister Cho is also seeking to hold a South Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later this month. Schedules are currently being coordinated, and if the meeting takes place, major agenda items such as the possible deployment to Hormuz, U.S.-bound investment, and follow-up measures to the Joint Fact Sheet are expected to be discussed.
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