US Joint Chiefs Chairman: "We Must Go Beyond North Korean Threats Toward Genuine Burden-Sharing"

U.S. Forces Korea Role Adjustment Draws Attention

On July 11, Dan Cane, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended the South Korea-U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Meeting (Tri-CHOD) and stated, "We are no longer limited to the threat from North Korea alone; we are now illuminating the path to the future together toward genuine burden-sharing."

During his opening remarks at the Tri-CHOD held at the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, that morning, Chairman Cane said, "We are entering a very significant phase in the history of each of our countries," and made these comments. The Tri-CHOD was attended by Kim Myungsoo, Chairman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff; Yoshida Yoshihide, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces; Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; Xavier Brunson, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea; and Steven Jostin, Commander of U.S. Forces Japan.

Chairman Cane continued, "Now is the time to share data, learn from one another, and build trust," adding, "The key is to redefine deterrence, and trilateral cooperation is essential for this. In our partnership, we need both prudence and a forward-looking attitude, and we must bring together our best combat capabilities so that we can fight together."

Chairman Cane's remarks on this day are interpreted as indicating that military cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan should be expanded beyond North Korea to also counter China. Within and outside the second administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, there has recently been a growing argument that the role of U.S. Forces Korea should be adjusted from focusing solely on North Korea to also addressing issues such as the Taiwan Strait and containing China. Chairman Cane also stated during his confirmation hearing at the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee in April, "If confirmed, I will assess the size of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea and Japan and submit recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and the President."

Meanwhile, Chairman Kim stated regarding the meeting, "With North Korea's nuclear and missile threats advancing and security challenges persisting in the region, it is extremely important to maintain and further develop the momentum of trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. I hope that today's meeting will further strengthen the security cooperation among the Republic of Korea, the United States, and Japan, and that it will develop in a future-oriented manner."

Yoshida, the Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, who visited South Korea for the first time in 15 years in this capacity, also proposed the following: institutionalizing trilateral cooperation that is not affected by political circumstances; strengthening trilateral unity to enhance deterrence against North Korea; and trilateral cooperation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, where complex threats and uncertainties persist.

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