S. Korea conveys concerns to US over USFK commander's DMZ remarks

Seoul conveyed concerns to Washington over USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson’s remarks that appeared to disregard South Korea’s territorial sovereignty in the DMZ. Brunson said at a Washington seminar that, from the UNC’s perspective, South Korea begins at the DMZ’s southern fence. Seoul also objected to his call for more time before transferring wartime operational control, while it seeks completion by 2028. The UNC said its armistice responsibilities do not alter South Korea’s sovereignty.

Brunson said the UNC has military and administrative responsibilities in the DMZ south of the Military Demarcation Line under the armistice agreement.

South Korean Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Kyu-ha said Brunson’s wording was inappropriate and reaffirmed the defense ministry’s firm position on territorial sovereignty.

Daeseong-dong in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, lies inside the southern half of the DMZ and is home to South Korean citizens.

Brunson cited North Korea’s upgraded missile capabilities when saying that new standards were needed for the OPCON transfer.

A defense ministry official said the transfer would never be possible if the conditions and standards continued changing.

Published Oct 19, 2026 4:37 pm KST

Updated Oct 19, 2026 4:51 pm KST

UNC reaffirms S. Korean sovereignty as criticism intensifies

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Kyu-ha, right, speaks with U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson during the inauguration ceremony for Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, Seoul, Sept. 22. Yonhap

Seoul expressed concerns to Washington over remarks made by U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson that Seoul sees as ignoring South Korea’s territorial sovereignty, a government source said Monday.

The concerns over Brunson's remarks on South Korea's territorial border and other issues were recently conveyed to the U.S. side, which, in return, said they understand and share South Korea’s pushback, according to the source.

The controversy centered on the comments made by Brunson, who also serves as the commander of the United Nations Command (UNC), at a seminar in Washington on Wednesday (local time), when he said that from the perspective of the UNC, South Korea begins at the southern fence of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

He was discussing the UNC’s responsibilities in the DMZ under the armistice agreement that halted the 1950-53 Korean War. The UNC has authority over access and activities in the DMZ under the armistice, but that responsibility does not determine sovereignty over the land.

His wording drew objections because South Korean territory extends north of the fence to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which divides the two Koreas within the DMZ. Daeseong-dong, a village in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, lies inside the southern half of the DMZ and is home to South Korean citizens.

In response to the controversy, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Kyu-ha also said Monday he disagreed with the USFK commander's remarks.

“The position of the defense ministry and our Army on territorial sovereignty is firm,” Kim said during a National Assembly Defense Committee audit at the Army headquarters in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province.

Asked whether Brunson’s wording had been inappropriate, he agreed.

As the criticism intensifies, the UNC issued a statement on Sunday. “The Republic of Korea’s sovereignty is not in question," the statement said. It explained that Brunson’s remarks referred to the military and administrative responsibilities assigned to the UNC commander under the armistice agreement, including military and civilian administration in the portion of the DMZ south of the MDL.

“Those responsibilities are military and administrative; they do not alter, and were not intended to address, the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea,” the command said.

A defense ministry official also said the ministry regards Brunson’s remarks as his personal views.

The official added that Seoul would continue working closely with the UNC to ensure that South Korea’s exercise of sovereignty within the DMZ remains compatible with the UNC’s administration of the armistice agreement.

Besides the territory issue, Brunson made other remarks at the seminar that also raised concerns here.

He signaled the need to take more time for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, while South Korea wants to complete the transition by 2028.

"Because the conditions have changed, because we've changed our plan, we have new standards which we have to uphold," he said, citing North Korea's upgraded missile capabilities.

Brunson said he supports the transfer but warned against letting a timetable override military requirements.

His comments on the OPCON transfer triggered unease from South Korea, with a defense ministry official saying “the transfer would never be possible” if the conditions and standards keep changing.

Despite the row, Kim said Brunson’s comments needed to be considered in their broader context, citing close ties between South Korean and U.S. service members dating back to the Korean War.

“When I met Gen. Brunson personally, I could see his deep commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea,” Kim said. “Looking at this from the standpoint of the alliance and military-to-military relations, I believe we need to be careful and measured in how we assess him.”

首尔方面就驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军的言论向华盛顿表达了关切，布伦森的言论似乎无视了韩国在非军事区（DMZ）的领土主权。布伦森在华盛顿的一次研讨会上表示，从联合国军司令部（UNC）的角度来看，韩国的领土范围始于非军事区的南侧围栏。首尔方面还反对布伦森提出的在移交战时作战指挥权之前需要更多时间的提议，而韩国方面则希望在2028年之前完成移交。联合国军司令部表示，其停战责任不会改变韩国的主权。

布伦森表示，根据停战协定，北卡罗来纳大学在军事分界线以南的非军事区承担军事和行政责任。

韩国陆军参谋长金圭河将军表示，布伦森的措辞不恰当，并重申了国防部在领土主权问题上的坚定立场。

京畿道坡州市大城洞位于非军事区南部，是韩国公民的居住地。

布伦森在谈到朝鲜导弹能力的提升时表示，作战指挥权移交需要新的标准。

国防部官员表示，如果条件和标准继续变化，这种调动永远不可能实现。

发布于2026年10月19日下午4:37（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月19日下午4:51（韩国标准时间）

北卡罗来纳大学重申韩国主权，批评声浪日益高涨

9月22日，在首尔龙山国防部举行的国防部长姜信哲就职典礼上，陆军参谋长金圭河（右）与驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森上将交谈。（韩联社）

一位政府消息人士周一表示，首尔方面就驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军发表的言论向华盛顿表达了关切，首尔方面认为布伦森将军的言论无视了韩国的领土主权。

据消息人士透露，韩国方面最近已向美方表达了对布伦森有关韩国领土边界和其他问题的言论的担忧，美方回应称，他们理解并认同韩国的反对意见。

争议的焦点在于布伦森（他同时也是联合国军司令部司令）周三（当地时间）在华盛顿的一个研讨会上发表的言论。他表示，从联合国军司令部的角度来看，韩国是从非军事区（DMZ）的南侧围栏开始的。

他当时正在讨论联合国军根据1950-53年朝鲜战争停战协定在非军事区承担的职责。根据停战协定，联合国军对非军事区的通行和活动拥有管辖权，但这并不决定其对该地区的主权。

他的措辞引起了反对，因为韩国领土向北延伸至军事分界线（MDL），该分界线将朝韩两国分隔在非军事区内。大城洞是京畿道坡州市的一个村庄，位于非军事区南部，是韩国公民的居住地。

针对这场争议，陆军参谋长金圭河上将周一也表示，他不同意驻韩美军司令的言论。

金在忠清南道鸡龙市陆军总部接受国会国防委员会审计时表示：“国防部和我军在领土主权问题上的立场是坚定的。”

当被问及布伦森的措辞是否不恰当时，他表示同意。

随着批评声浪渐起，联合国军司令部（UNC）周日发表声明称：“大韩民国的主权毋庸置疑。”声明解释说，布伦森的言论指的是根据停战协定赋予联合国军司令部的军事和行政职责，包括在军事分界线以南的非军事区区域内进行军事和民事管理。

“这些职责属于军事和行政范畴；它们不会改变，也不是为了解决大韩民国的主权问题，”指挥部表示。

国防部一名官员还表示，国防部认为布伦森的言论是其个人观点。

该官员补充说，首尔将继续与联合国军司令部密切合作，以确保韩国在非军事区内行使主权与联合国军司令部对停战协定的管理保持一致。

除了领土问题之外，布伦森在研讨会上发表的其他言论也引起了这里的关注。

他表示，需要更多时间将战时作战指挥权（OPCON）从华盛顿移交给首尔，而韩国希望在 2028 年完成过渡。

“因为情况发生了变化，因为我们改变了计划，我们有了新的标准，我们必须坚持这些标准，”他说道，并提到了朝鲜升级后的导弹能力。

布伦森表示他支持这次调动，但警告说不要让时间表凌驾于军事需求之上。

他对作战指挥权移交的评论引起了韩国方面的不安，韩国国防部一名官员表示，如果条件和标准不断变化，“移交永远不可能实现”。

尽管发生了争执，金表示，需要从更广泛的背景下考虑布伦森的言论，并指出韩国和美国军人之间自朝鲜战争以来就有着密切的联系。

金说：“我与布伦森将军本人会面时，能感受到他对保卫大韩民国的坚定承诺。从同盟关系和两军关系的角度来看，我认为我们在评估他时需要谨慎和审慎。”