US troops in S. Korea must be ready for missions beyond peninsula, commander says

Lt. Gen. Joe Hilbert said the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea must be ready to deploy beyond the Korean Peninsula if ordered. He said the command remains focused on its mutual defense treaty commitments with Seoul but trains to respond to other missions as required. The Trump administration has called for South Korea to take primary responsibility for deterring North Korea while seeking greater strategic flexibility for U.S. Forces Korea. Experts described a shift toward a more reciprocal alliance in which South Korea could provide logistical and industrial support for regional contingencies.

The Eighth Army is headquartered at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek and commands U.S. ground forces in South Korea.

The U.S. National Defense Strategy published in January called for a strong denial defense along the first island chain and for Seoul to take primary responsibility for deterring Pyongyang with critical but more limited U.S. support.

In August, the U.S. Army awarded Hanwha a contract worth up to $260 million to deliver K9 Mobile Howitzer prototypes for its Mobile Tactical Cannon program.

General Atomics and Hanwha Aerospace co-developed and co-produced a scale model of the Mojave short take-off and landing drone under a partnership agreement signed last year.

Lami Kim said South Korea could provide logistical support during a regional contingency and that its defense industry could help replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles if a conflict became prolonged.

Published Oct 22, 2026 10:44 am KST

Updated Oct 22, 2026 11:10 am KST

U.S. Lt. Gen. Joseph Hilbert, commander of the U.S. Eighth Army, speaks during a ceremony to mark the inauguration of U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Robert S. "Todd" Brown as the commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division/ ROK-U.S. Combined Division at U.S. Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek, Oct. 7. Yonhap

The commander of the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea said his troops must be ready for deployment outside the Korean peninsula if ordered, arguing that it would be "irresponsible" to focus "myopically" on threats there.

Lt. Gen. Joe Hilbert said that while his command's focus was on fulfilling U.S. commitments under its mutual defense treaty with Seoul, the Eighth Army's location did not limit the missions it could undertake.

It would be "irresponsible to focus myopically" on threats on the Korean peninsula alone, he told the South China Morning Post by email, or to "suggest that we cannot do other things simply because we are in Korea."

Describing the Eighth Army as part of a "global force" that trains for "readiness so that we can deploy where needed by our national command authority," Hilbert cited the Eighth Army's participation in multinational exercises across the Asia-Pacific as an example of its activities beyond the peninsula.

"We view readiness as largely threat-agnostic. If we have a trained, ready force capable of executing the Army's assigned missions, we can apply that force against whatever threat is required," said Hilbert.

"So, we train every day with our Korean allies against our principal threat, while also ensuring we remain available and ready for whatever the nation may require."

Hilbert's comments reflect the Trump administration's push to place greater responsibility on allies for their own defense while increasing the strategic flexibility of United States Forces Korea (USFK), allowing American troops to be deployed beyond the Korean peninsula for contingencies elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific.

Headquartered at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, the Eighth Army commands U.S. ground forces in South Korea. It is the only U.S. Army stationed on the Asian continent in the Asia-Pacific region and the sole permanently forward-deployed American field army.

As part of the roughly 28,500-strong USFK, the Eighth Army has traditionally focused on deterring North Korean threats rather than preparing for contingencies elsewhere, such as in the Taiwan Strait. But the Trump administration has signaled a shift towards a broader regional role.

The national defense strategy, published in January, instructed that Washington aim for "strong denial defense along the first island chain," while calling for Seoul to take "primary responsibility" for deterring Pyongyang with "critical but more limited U.S. support," noting that the "shift in the balance of responsibility is consistent with America's interest in updating U.S. force posture on the Korean peninsula."

The first island chain refers to a string of islands and archipelagos running from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines and the South China Sea. The Korean peninsula falls within this line.

During a press briefing in August last year, Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of USFK, said that "strategic flexibility" will be at the center of the "alliance modernization" between Seoul and Washington in responding to the "threat" that nuclear-armed China, Russia and North Korea pose to a "free and open Indo-Pacific."

A more reciprocal US-South Korea alliance

Lami Kim, Korea chair in advanced technologies, national security and defense at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said that the nature of the alliance is shifting towards a "more reciprocal partnership," instead of Washington's primarily "one-directional" responsibility to defend Seoul.

"Both countries are expected to contribute to each other's security and South Korea assumes greater responsibility for its own defense," said Kim.

"I think this is a natural evolution that reflects South Korea's significantly enhanced military capabilities - a far cry from its position in the 1950s, when the alliance was first established."

Troy Stangarone, a visiting senior fellow at the Korea Economic Institute of America, said that the broader trend in US-South Korea defense ties has been towards Seoul taking on a larger role, while growing its domestic defense industrial base, and the US seeking "greater flexibility" to utilize US forces for other contingencies.

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul (left) speaks with Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea, during an inauguration ceremony in Seoul, Sept. 22. EPA-Yonhap

"The United States has already moved forces and equipment off the Korean peninsula to support U.S. operations, both in the recent Iran war and the Iraq war in 2003. I would expect it to continue to do so as conditions require," said Stangarone.

Seoul's enhanced military capabilities were reflected in its weapons' recent integration and partnership with the U.S. military. In August, the U.S. Army awarded a contract worth up to $260 million to South Korea's Hanwha to deliver prototypes of its K9 Mobile Howitzer for its new Mobile Tactical Cannon program - a first case of a South Korean weapons system acquired by the U.S. military.

U.S. defense contractor General Atomics also showcased a scale model of the Mojave short take-off and landing (STOL) drone at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition last week. The drone was co-developed and co-produced with Hanwha Aerospace under a partnership agreement signed last year.

Keeping US forces supplied in the Pacific

Speaking at a panel discussion during the AUSA Annual Meeting, Brunson said the US Army is trying to "change" the "depot mindset" of maintaining U.S. weapons and equipment by traveling back and forth between the continental U.S. and the Asia-Pacific region, which often consumes several days and weeks for those systems to be delivered.

He said partnering with South Korea, which he described as having "an absolutely premier industrial base," can achieve "admirable endurance" and keep U.S. forces with an "enviable posture" within the first island chain.

"What's going to be important in the future, in particular in a fight in the Pacific, is our ability to endure, whether that be able to protect the things that we've placed forward, or whether that be the ability to stay there because we can sustain ourselves inside the first island chain from Korea," said Brunson.

Brunson's remarks follow Hilbert's earlier proposal at the Land Forces Pacific symposium in Hawaii in May, where he said partnering with South Korea's advanced manufacturing base would reduce the need to cross the Pacific and increase "strategic flexibility" for the U.S. Joint Forces.

Kim said that as the alliance becomes "increasingly reciprocal," it is becoming more difficult for Seoul to expect Washington to "maintain its security commitments without making meaningful contributions in return."

"South Korea would likely provide logistical support to U.S. forces in the event of a regional contingency," said Kim.

"If the conflict became prolonged, South Korea's defense industrial base could also play an important role in replenishing American weapons stockpiles and sustaining U.S. military operations."

Stangarone said that South Korea, as a logistics hub, plays a "critical role," as it is the only U.S. ally in the region with the defense industrial base capable of supporting U.S. forces in the case of a contingency.

"Despite periodic calls for South Korea to commit forces to any contingency in the region, it has long been clear that its primary role is a supporting role providing needed munitions and armaments," said Stangarone.

"South Korea shares interests and capabilities with the United States in the Indo-Pacific. While deterring North Korea needs to remain the priority, Seoul can and should play a larger role in U.S. strategy in the region in recognition of its own growing capabilities."

Read the article at SCMP.

乔·希尔伯特中将表示，驻韩美军第八集团军必须做好随时部署到朝鲜半岛以外地区的准备，一旦接到命令即可部署。他指出，该集团军司令部仍将专注于履行与首尔的共同防御条约义务，但同时也会根据需要进行其他任务的应对训练。特朗普政府呼吁韩国承担威慑朝鲜的主要责任，同时寻求为驻韩美军提供更大的战略灵活性。专家们认为，美韩联盟正在向更加互惠互利的方向转变，韩国可以为地区突发事件提供后勤和工业支持。

美国第八集团军总部设在平泽市汉弗莱斯营，负责指挥驻韩美军地面部队。

美国1月份发布的《国防战略》呼吁在第一岛链建立强大的拒止防御体系，并要求首尔承担威慑平壤的主要责任，而美国则提供关键但更为有限的支持。

8 月，美国陆军授予韩华公司一份价值高达 2.6 亿美元的合同，为其移动战术火炮项目提供 K9 移动榴弹炮原型。

根据去年签署的合作协议，通用原子公司和韩华航空航天公司共同开发并共同生产了 Mojave 短距起降无人机的比例模型。

金兰美表示，韩国可以在地区突发事件期间提供后勤支持，如果冲突持续下去，韩国的国防工业可以帮助补充美国的武器库存。

发布于2026年10月22日上午10:44（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月22日上午11:10（韩国标准时间）

10月7日，在韩国平泽市汉弗莱斯美军营地，美国第八集团军司令约瑟夫·希尔伯特中将在罗伯特·S·“托德”·布朗准将就任美韩联合第二步兵师/韩美联合师师长的就职仪式上发表讲话。（韩联社）

驻韩美军第八集团军司令表示，如果接到命令，他的部队必须做好部署到朝鲜半岛以外地区的准备，他认为“目光短浅”地只关注那里的威胁是“不负责任的”。

乔·希尔伯特中将表示，虽然他的指挥部重点是履行美国根据与首尔签订的共同防御条约所承担的承诺，但第八集团军的地理位置并没有限制其能够执行的任务。

他通过电子邮件告诉《南华早报》，仅仅关注朝鲜半岛的威胁是“不负责任的”，或者“仅仅因为我们身处韩国就认为我们不能做其他事情”。

希尔伯特将第八集团军描述为一支“全球力量”的一部分，该力量接受训练以“保持战备状态，以便我们能够根据国家指挥当局的需要部署到任何地方”。他还以第八集团军参与亚太地区的多国演习为例，说明其在半岛以外的活动。

希尔伯特说：“我们认为战备在很大程度上与威胁无关。如果我们拥有一支训练有素、随时待命的部队，能够执行陆军分配的任务，我们就可以运用这支部队应对任何需要应对的威胁。”

“因此，我们每天都与韩国盟友一起进行训练，对抗我们的主要威胁，同时也确保我们随时待命，满足国家的任何需求。”

希尔伯特的评论反映了特朗普政府推动将更多责任推给盟友，使其承担自身防御责任，同时提高驻韩美军的战略灵活性，允许美军部署到朝鲜半岛以外的亚太地区，以应对其他地区的突发事件。

美国第八集团军总部位于首尔以南平泽的汉弗莱斯营，负责指挥驻韩美军地面部队。它是亚太地区唯一驻扎在亚洲大陆的美国集团军，也是唯一一支永久前沿部署的美国野战军。

作为驻韩美军（兵力约28500人）的一部分，第八集团军传统上专注于遏制朝鲜的威胁，而非应对其他地区（例如台湾海峡）的突发事件。但特朗普政府已发出信号，表明第八集团军将转向更广泛的区域角色。

1月份发布的国家防御战略指示华盛顿的目标是“沿着第一岛链建立强大的拒止防御”，同时呼吁首尔承担“主要责任”，以威慑平壤，并给予“关键但更为有限的美国支持”。该战略指出，“责任平衡的转变符合美国更新其在朝鲜半岛的兵力部署的利益”。

第一岛链指的是从日本经台湾延伸至菲律宾和南海的一系列岛屿和群岛。朝鲜半岛就位于这条岛链之内。

去年 8 月的一次新闻发布会上，驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军表示，“战略灵活性”将是首尔和华盛顿之间“联盟现代化”的核心，以应对拥有核武器的中国、俄罗斯和朝鲜对“自由开放的印太地区”构成的“威胁”。

更加互惠的美韩联盟

伦敦国际战略研究所韩国高级技术、国家安全和国防主席金兰美表示，美韩同盟的性质正在向“更加互惠的伙伴关系”转变，而不是华盛顿主要承担保卫首尔的“单向”责任。

金正恩表示：“两国都应为彼此的安全做出贡献，韩国也应承担更大的自身防卫责任。”

“我认为这是韩国军事能力显著提升的自然发展过程——与上世纪50年代韩美同盟成立之初相比，韩国的军事实力已大相径庭。”

美国韩国经济研究所访问高级研究员特洛伊·斯坦加罗内表示，美韩防务关系的总体趋势是首尔发挥更大的作用，同时发展其国内国防工业基础，而美国则寻求“更大的灵活性”，以便在其他突发事件中使用美军。

9月22日，韩国国防部长康信哲（左）在首尔出席就职典礼时与驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军交谈。图片来源：EPA-Yonhap

“美国已经将部分兵力和装备从朝鲜半岛撤离，以支持美国在最近的伊朗战争和2003年的伊拉克战争中的军事行动。我预计，根据情况需要，美国会继续这样做，”斯坦加罗内说。

首尔军事能力的提升体现在其武器装备近期与美军的整合与合作上。今年8月，美国陆军授予韩国韩华公司一份价值高达2.6亿美元的合同，为其新型“移动战术火炮”项目提供K9型移动榴弹炮原型——这是韩国武器系统首次被美军采购。

美国国防承包商通用原子公司上周在美国陆军协会（AUSA）年会暨展览会上展示了“莫哈韦”（Mojave）短距起降（STOL）无人机的比例模型。该无人机是通用原子公司与韩华航空航天公司根据去年签署的合作协议共同研发和生产的。

保障驻太平洋美军的物资供应。

布伦森在 AUSA 年会的一次小组讨论中表示，美国陆军正试图“改变”维护美国武器装备的“仓库思维”，即通过在美国本土和亚太地区之间来回奔波来维护这些系统，而这种做法通常需要几天甚至几周的时间才能完成。

他表示，与拥有“绝对一流的工业基础”的韩国合作，可以实现“令人钦佩的持久力”，并使美军在第一岛链中保持“令人羡慕的地位”。

布伦森说：“未来，尤其是在太平洋战场上，重要的是我们的持久力，无论是保护我们已经部署的阵地，还是因为我们能够在朝鲜半岛第一岛链内维持生存而留在那里。”

布伦森的这番言论是在希尔伯特5月份在夏威夷举行的太平洋陆军研讨会上提出该提议之后发表的。希尔伯特当时表示，与韩国先进的制造业基地合作将减少跨越太平洋的需要，并提高美国联合部队的“战略灵活性”。

金表示，随着美韩同盟“日益互惠”，首尔越来越难以指望华盛顿“在不做出实质性贡献的情况下维持其安全承诺”。

金表示：“如果地区发生突发事件，韩国可能会向美军提供后勤支持。”

“如果冲突持续下去，韩国的国防工业基础也可以在补充美国武器库存和维持美国军事行动方面发挥重要作用。”

斯坦加罗内表示，韩国作为物流枢纽发挥着“关键作用”，因为它是该地区唯一拥有国防工业基础的美国盟友，能够在发生紧急情况时为美军提供支持。

“尽管不时有人呼吁韩国向该地区的任何突发事件派遣军队，但长期以来，韩国的主要角色一直是提供所需弹药和武器的支援角色，这一点已经很明确了，”斯坦加罗内说。

“韩国与美国在印太地区拥有共同的利益和能力。虽然遏制朝鲜仍需继续作为首要任务，但鉴于韩国自身能力的不断提升，首尔可以而且应该在美国在该地区的战略中发挥更大的作用。”

请阅读《南华早报》上的文章。