Brooks, Former Commander of USFK, Says "UN Command Role Needed Even After Armistice Declaration"

Remarks at the 67th Anniversary Event of the 625 Armistice

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Vincent Brooks, former Commander of the United States Forces Korea and United Nations Command, stated on the 27th (local time) that even if a declaration of the end of the Korean War is made, the role of the UN Command remains necessary on the Korean Peninsula.

On the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, former Commander Brooks said at a virtual seminar hosted by the Korean Defense Veterans Association (KDVA), "Some may think that a declaration of the end of the war is equivalent to the termination of the UN Command, but I consider that to be a shallow thought."

Vincent Brooks, Commander of the United Nations Command, delivers a greeting at the 'Korean War United Nations Forces Participation Day Ceremony' held on the 27th at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul under the theme "Protecting the Republic of Korea Together, Opening a Unified Korea Together." / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

This can be seen as an argument that the role of the UN Command is necessary even if denuclearization negotiations between North Korea and the United States progress and a declaration of the end of the war is made.

He emphasized again, "The end of the war or a peace declaration does not happen simultaneously with the sudden termination of the UN Command," adding, "At an appropriate point, the UN Command may be disbanded, but this must be a very cautious decision." He also stated that transitioning to a state of peace requires activities such as arms reduction and redeployment, which the UN Command can support.

When asked whether the UN Command could play a broader role in the Indo-Pacific strategy if wartime operational control is transferred to South Korea, former Commander Brooks replied, "There is no relation between the two. I do not think so."

He explained that for the UN Command to expand its role to include the Indo-Pacific strategy, it would need approval from the United Nations Security Council, which defines the UN Command’s mission, and that it is unlikely to gain the consent of China, a permanent member of the Security Council.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.