US Eighth Army Commander: "Korea's Miracle Was Possible Because of the ROK-US Alliance"

8th Army Commander Bullerson: "We Must Not Forget the Sacrifice of the Fallen"

Willard Burleson, Commander of the U.S. Eighth Army in Korea, emphasized that the "Korea-U.S. Alliance" has contributed not only to military and security areas but also to South Korea's economic development.

Commander Burleson stated at the "70th Anniversary of the Korea-U.S. Alliance" commemorative meeting hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) on the 7th, "The U.S. military came to the Republic of Korea in 1950 and has never left since," adding, "The United States provided the foundation for security in Korea, and on that foundation, Korea achieved a miracle."

Willard Burleson, Commander of the U.S. Eighth Army and Chief of Staff of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, delivers a greeting at a special meeting commemorating the 70th anniversary of AmCham, held on the 7th at the Hyatt Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, under the theme "The Future of Korea-U.S. Security Cooperation." Photo by Yonhap News.

He continued, "Korea's economic miracle was made possible because of the Korea-U.S. Alliance," stressing that the sacrifices of more than 37,000 war dead and missing persons must not be forgotten. He added, "The sacrifices of those who were someone's husband, son, or brother must never be underestimated," and said, "Their blood and sweat still remain in Korea and have become part of Korean history."

Commander Burleson also repeatedly emphasized the concept of "peace through strength." He said, "We must maintain peace through strength," and added, "A stable and prosperous Korea plays an important role not only in Northeast Asia but also in global security."

"Peace through strength" is also the current national policy pursued by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Earlier, in January this year, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated during the New Year work reports of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense, "Countries that relied on temporary fake peace have historically disappeared, while countries that pursue peace through strength have advanced civilization and contributed to human society." The theme of the report at that time was also "Realizing Peace through Strength" and "Revitalizing National Interest Diplomacy."

Commander Burleson requested, "To protect the Republic of Korea and uphold the Korea-U.S. Alliance, the support of many people is needed," and asked, "Although noise occurs when Korea and the U.S. conduct training, please understand and support it as efforts to strengthen readiness and enhance deterrence."

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