The commander of the Eighth U.S. Army in South Korea emphasized the strategic flexibility of the U.S..

The commander of the Eighth U.S. Army in South Korea emphasized the strategic flexibility of the U.S. Donald Trump administration, saying that U.S. Eighth Army troops can be deployed not only in the Korean Peninsula but also in the case of threats in the Asia-Pacific region. These remarks are noteworthy as they may be interpreted as suggesting the possibility of the deployment of the 8th US Army in South Korea to check China in the event of an emergency with the 1st Doryeon Line and the Taiwan Strait.

Joseph Hilbert, commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, said in an email interview with Hong Kong media South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 21st (local time), “It is irresponsible for the U.S. military in South Korea to focus short-sightedly on threats on the Korean Peninsula.” He then pointed out, “It is also irresponsible to argue that you cannot perform other duties simply because you are stationed in Korea.” “If their troops are ordered, they should be ready to be dispatched outside the Korean Peninsula,” he said. This means that the scope of the mission is not limited to the Korean Peninsula because it is stationed in South Korea.

“It’s part of a ‘global army’ that trains national command authorities to be deployed where they need to be,” Hilbert said of the Eighth Army. “Any trained and prepared unit capable of carrying out the tasks assigned by the Army can be put into any threat that is necessary.” He also said, “We are training with the South Korean alliance to prepare for major threats every day while maintaining readiness to respond to any situation required by the country.”

Headquartered in Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, the U.S. Eighth Army commands the ground forces of the U.S. Forces Korea.

[Washington correspondent Choi Seungjin]