Xavier Brunson, commander of United States Forces Korea, explained regarding the recent controversy over the remark that "Korea is a dagger from China's point of view," saying it was meant to "describe the operational environment we face."
On May 30 in Singapore at the 23rd Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue), Commander Brunson stated accordingly while directly answering a question asking whether the remark represented the official position of the Donald Trump administration, and whether it had been approved by the Ministry of National Defense.
Brunson's explanation came during a Q&A session after a speech by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. When a Chinese participant asked about the background of the remark, Minister Hegseth asked Commander Brunson to respond.
Brunson said, "What I was trying to convey to the students at the war college at the time was that we should change our perspective," and "It meant that we should understand and respect not only our own view but also how other countries see us."
He then cited as an example a map of the Korean Peninsula turned so that the east faces up, saying, "Only by shifting perspective can we think about how countries in the region perceive us," and, "We must maintain strong military power, but at the same time we also need to understand other countries' views." Brunson also mentioned a phrase once used by a German military theorist, calling the Korean Peninsula "a stiletto aimed at Japan."
He also emphasized that his remark was not intended to antagonize China. Referring to the recent U.S.-China summit, he said, "It is very important that we can develop the relationship through dialogue."
He added, "We have long been accustomed to a binary way of thinking of friend and foe, but now there is also space to develop military thinking through dialogue."
Earlier, appearing on a podcast produced by the U.S. Army War College, Brunson said, "Seen from China's eastern coast, Korea appears like a dagger at the center of Asia," and, "Japan is like a shield that blocks China's ambition to expand its influence across the South China Sea," sparking controversy.
After the remark became known, the Chinese side reacted strongly, and criticism also arose at home that Korea had been depicted as a tool to contain China.
In this regard, the presidential office and the government are said to have conveyed concerns to the U.S. side over Commander Brunson's successive external remarks in recent days. The government reportedly communicated its sense of the problem through various channels after the controversy continued despite repeated requests for restraint.
The presidential office said in a press notice that day, "We are aware of the series of external remarks by Commander Brunson in recent days, and we have been communicating at various levels on all pending issues between South Korea and the United States."
Last year as well, Brunson stirred controversy by describing Korea as a "fixed aircraft carrier between China and Japan," and he has repeatedly drawn attention for sensitive security-related remarks, including publicly mentioning the timing of the transfer of wartime operational control.