Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Jung Kyung-Doo, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and leading members of Korea and US military discussed ways to shift the wartime operational control and strengthen the combined defense posture.

 
On October 27th, military leaders from the two countries held the 42nd Korea-US Military Committee Meeting (MCM) at the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea. In addition to the Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of both countries, Kim Byung Joo, Deputy Commander of CFC, Shim Seung-seop, Head of Strategic Planning Division of JCS, Harry Harris, US Pacific Commander, and Vincent Brooks, Commander in Chief, ROK-US Combined Forces Command were present at the meeting.

The meeting began with an assessment of the situation on the Korean peninsula and the regional security status by the military leaders of the two countries. They then exchanged views on the rapid promotion of the transition of the armed forces based on the goal of strengthening the ROK-US combined defense posture, such as the development of the command structure of the Future Allied Command, the establishment of the three-axis system of the Korean army. In addition, discussions were held on the 'Future Allied Command,' which replaced the existing ROK-US Combined Forces Command. Currently, the ROK military is actively promoting the "advancement of our military capability in connection with defense reform," the "development of a document system for a new unified defense system," and the "verification of the ROK-US alliance applying the future command structure."

Chairman Jung and Chairman Dunford said, "By holding a meeting of the ROK-US Military Committee during the most highly tense period of North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and provocations, not only will it convey a strong message to North Korea that it must restrain its threats and provocations, but it also will make the ROK-US alliance more solid and stronger," they said, evaluating the significance of holding this MCM.

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >

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