Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Gyu-ha said today (October 19) that he "cannot agree" with recent remarks by USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson to the effect that South Korea begins at the southern fence line of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

Gen. Kim made the response during a parliamentary audit of the Army conducted by the National Assembly's National Defense Committee at the Army Headquarters in Gyeryongdae today (October 19), after Rep. Min Hong-chul of the Democratic Party of Korea brought up Gen. Brunson's statement and asked if he agreed with it.

Earlier on October 14, Gen. Brunson sparked controversy during a seminar in Washington, D.C., when he remarked that "from a UNC perspective, Korea starts at the southern fence line of the DMZ," prompting criticism over whether the USFK commander had disregarded South Korea's territorial sovereignty.

As the controversy grew, the United Nations Command (UNC) sought to calm the situation, stating that "there is no question regarding the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea."

In a separate statement at the time, the UNC explained regarding Gen. Brunson's remarks that they were "describing the responsibilities granted to the UNC Commander within the DMZ and the Joint Security Area under the Armistice Agreement." It clarified, "These responsibilities are of a military and administrative nature and do not alter the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea, nor were the remarks intended to address the issue of ROK sovereignty."


When Rep. Min also asked for his opinion on Gen. Brunson's statement that "conditions have changed" regarding the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON), Gen. Kim answered, "I believe one must be cautious with such remarks."

At the same seminar, Gen. Brunson had said, "None of us can say the conditions [for the OPCON transfer] haven't changed," adding, "Conditions have changed, and because we changed our plan, there are new milestones we have to meet."

Gen. Kim, however, expressed the view that people need to exercise caution when assessing Gen. Brunson.

When Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party asked again about his stance on Gen. Brunson's territory-related remarks, Gen. Kim said, "The position of the Ministry of National Defense and the Army regarding territorial sovereignty is firm, but it is necessary to examine Gen. Brunson's remarks within the overall context and perspective."

Gen. Kim emphasized, "Between South Korea and the United States, especially between our service members, there has been an enduring bond and comradeship forged in blood during the Korean War," adding, "Having met Gen. Brunson personally, he has a deep commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea."

He added, "Looking at this from the perspective of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and military-to-military relations, I believe some caution and restraint are needed in evaluating Gen. Brunson."

(Photo: Yonhap News)