New USFK chief takes office

By Kim Joo-heon Posted : December 20, 2024, 15:47 Updated : December 20, 2024, 16:51
General Xavier Brunson participates in a briefing during a joint training exercise involving the military forces of the U.S., Japan, and Australia, at Camp Asaka, Japan, on Dec. 7, 2023. Courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense
SEOUL, December 20 (AJP) - South Korea welcomed a new commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) amid political turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law debacle earlier this week.

General Xavier Brunson, who is replacing General Paul LaCamera, who has held the position since July 2021, took an oath during the change of command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, at 2 p.m.

"I look forward to working alongside each of you as we build upon the legacy of those who came before us and strive to create a future defined by peace and prosperity. Thank you all very much. Under one flag, we go together," Brunson said at the ceremony. "May God bless the United States of America, our partner the Republic of Korea, and the soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and guardians of our two great nations."
 
General Xavier Brunson delivers his speech during the change of command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek on Dec. 20, 2024. Captured from the official Facebook page of U.S. Forces Korea.
His tour in Korea begins about three months after completing his Senate confirmation process, following U.S. President Joe Biden's nomination of Brunson in September.

Brunson, a graduate of Hampton University in Virginia with a degree in political science, was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1990. He has served in various roles across multiple assignments, including infantry and airborne units, and participated in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, South Korea's Acting Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho reaffirmed in a call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday that the strength of the two countries' alliance remains steadfast, regardless of South Korea's current political situation. 

Around 28,500 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea, a country that technically remains at war with North Korea.