Xavier Brunson, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, said on the 21st (local time) that he is pushing to modernize U.S. Forces Korea by focusing on capabilities rather than the size of the force.
Brunson said at a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that day, "The Korean Peninsula is a key strategic outpost to defend the U.S. homeland and advance U.S. interests in the region," adding, "U.S. Forces Korea is pursuing modernization to respond to rapidly changing strategic challenges."
Brunson said, "This is why I am entirely focused on capability rather than troop numbers," and added, "Basing is a basic premise, but to truly understand the shift from size to capability, it is essential to keep the focus on the specific capabilities that need to be deployed on the Korean Peninsula."
He added, "The participation of U.S. Forces Korea units in Indo-Pacific Command exercises demonstrates the potential to project capabilities from Korea in support of deterrence across the Indo-Pacific."
Samuel Paparo, the U.S. Indo-Pacific commander who also appeared at the hearing that day, voiced concern over the deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia. He said, "North Korea's continued development of nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and ballistic missiles is a direct threat to the U.S. homeland and our allies."
He continued, "North Korea's partial modernization of its conventional forces adds further complexity to the region, and what is more concerning is that although the relationship between North Korea and Russia is transactional in nature, it is deepening."
He also noted that the deepening cooperation among China, Russia, and North Korea creates complex challenges to U.S. security and regional stability.