Washington:The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), Gen. Xavier Brunson, has called for more geographically dispersed military exercises across South Korea. He emphasized the need to learn from the Ukraine conflict and adapt to evolving battlefield threats.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Gen. Brunson made these remarks during a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army's annual conference. He highlighted the limitations of focusing only on large command post exercises twice a year and suggested the allies conduct drills over a broader geographical area.
Gen. Brunson proposed training across the entire Korean Peninsula, from Jeju to Gyeonggi Province, to enhance the readiness and deterrence posture of U.S. and South Korean forces. He pointed out the vulnerability of operating from fixed positions, as seen in Ukraine, where the use of drones and modern technologies has made such positions susceptible to attacks.
He also mentioned the possibility of conducting more frequent training sessions between the major annual exercises. Recently, the USFK carried out a strategic exercise without troops, involving helicopter travel to explore force maneuverability in crisis situations.
Brunson further noted that North Korean forces involved in the Ukraine war are gaining valuable combat experience, which they are incorporating into their training and weapons development. He stressed the importance of finding better training methods to counter these evolving threats.