Seoul conveyed its concerns through multiple diplomatic and military channels, and Washington responded that it recognized and understood South Korea's position, according to the source.
The dispute follows Brunson's remarks at a forum hosted by the Gold Institute for International Strategy in Washington on Oct. 14.
Brunson, who also commands the United Nations Command (UNC) and the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, said that from the UNC's perspective, South Korea begins at the southern fence of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
His comments drew criticism from ruling party lawmakers, who accused him of questioning South Korea's territorial sovereignty.
The controversy centers on the distinction between the UNC's authority to manage the DMZ and South Korea's sovereignty over the territory.
Under the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement, the UNC oversees armistice compliance and controls access to the southern portion of the DMZ, a buffer zone extending roughly 2 kilometers on either side of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
But that administrative authority does not determine national territorial boundaries. Article 3 of South Korea's Constitution defines the country's territory as the entire Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands, including North Korea.
The issue has become particularly sensitive as ruling party lawmakers seek to give the South Korean government greater control over civilian access to the DMZ, an area where the UNC currently exercises authority under the armistice.
South Korea's defense ministry dismissed Brunson's comments as his personal views, reaffirming its position on territorial sovereignty.
The UNC also sought to ease the controversy Sunday, saying South Korea's sovereignty was beyond question.
It explained that Brunson had been referring to his military and administrative responsibilities under the armistice rather than South Korea's territorial status.
Brunson also drew criticism for remarks at the same Washington forum about the planned transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States to South Korea.
"Because the conditions have changed, because we've changed our plan, we have new standards which we have to uphold," Brunson said, citing North Korea's evolving military threats.
The transfer would place a South Korean general in command of the allies' combined forces during wartime, replacing the current U.S.-led command structure.
Seoul is seeking to complete the transfer before President Lee Jae Myung's term ends in 2030, while maintaining that the conditions already agreed upon by the allies should remain unchanged.
Brunson's reference to new standards raised concerns in Seoul that additional requirements could delay the transfer indefinitely.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over the UNC's authority in the DMZ and the timing of the OPCON transfer, even as Seoul and Washington seek to address their differences.
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