FM Cho says lodged complaint to U.S. envoy over USFK chief's remarks on inter-Korean border

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SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday he lodged a complaint to U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel last week over recent remarks by the chief of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on the inter-Korean border.

Controversy has arisen over comments made by USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson at a seminar in Washington earlier this month, when he said that, from the U.N. Command's (UNC) perspective, South Korean territory begins at the southern fence line of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), established under the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War.

Brunson also serves as commander of the UNC.

In this file photo, new Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul (L) talks with U.S. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, during a ceremony at the defense ministry in Seoul on Sept. 22, 2026, to mark his inauguration. (Yonhap)

"Last week, I called Steel to the foreign ministry to convey our position following Brunson's remarks. I will raise the matter with the U.S. side again," Cho said during a parliamentary audit of his ministry, responding to a lawmaker's call for the government to issue "a clear warning" to Washington over the matter.

Some lawmakers and critics have accused Brunson of questioning South Korea's territorial sovereignty. Under the South Korean Constitution, the country's territory encompasses the entire Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands.

The UNC later clarified that South Korea's sovereignty was not in question, saying Brunson had been referring to the command's military and administrative responsibilities under the Armistice Agreement.

The government has also conveyed its concerns through various channels, and the U.S. has indicated that it fully understands and shares Seoul's concerns, according to government sources.

Lawmakers also urged the ministry to lodge a strong protest with Washington over Brunson's remarks that "conditions have changed" for South Korea to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington.

"I believe we should retake wartime OPCON as soon as possible," Cho said, noting that the U.S. secretary of defense had reaffirmed support for the transfer at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual Asian security forum, in May.

"The two countries' military authorities were continuing discussions on the timing of the transfer, and the talks were proceeding well," he added.

The presidential office said Seoul and Washington were continuing consultations under their existing agreement, stressing that Brunson's remarks represented his personal views and not official U.S. policy. President Lee Jae Myung has also reaffirmed his commitment to an early transfer.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (R) shakes hands with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel during their meeting in Seoul on Aug. 4, 2026, in this file photo posted on Cho's Facebook account. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

graceoh@yna.co.kr (END)

(2nd LD) Lee says wartime operational control must be retaken at early date

S. Korea, U.S. closely coordinating on setting target year for OPCON transfer: defense chief

U.S. expresses 'understanding' of S. Korea's unease over USFK commander's remarks: source

USFK chief says 'conditions have changed' while stressing requirements for OPCON transfer to S. Korea

S. Korea says conditions-based OPCON transfer 'never' possible if conditions keep changing

FM Cho says lodged complaint to U.S. envoy over USFK chief's remarks on inter-Korean border

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

首尔，10月27日（韩联社）——韩国外交部长赵显铉周二表示，他上周已就驻韩美军司令最近关于韩朝边界的言论向美国驻韩国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔提出抗议。

本月早些时候，驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军在华盛顿的一个研讨会上发表了评论，引发了争议。他表示，从联合国军司令部（UNC）的角度来看，韩国领土始于非军事区（DMZ）的南部围栏线，该非军事区是根据结束1950-53年朝鲜战争的停战协定设立的。

布伦森同时也是北卡罗来纳大学的指挥官。

这张资料照片显示，2026年9月22日，新任韩国国防部长姜信哲（左）在首尔国防部举行的就职典礼上与驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军交谈。（韩联社）

“上周，我召见斯蒂尔到外交部，就布伦森的言论传达了我们的立场。我将再次向美方提出此事，”赵在国会对其部门进行质询时表示，此前有议员呼吁政府就此事向华盛顿发出“明确警告”。

一些议员和批评人士指责布伦森质疑韩国的领土主权。根据韩国宪法，韩国领土包括整个朝鲜半岛及其邻近岛屿。

联合国军司令部后来澄清说，韩国的主权没有受到质疑，并表示布伦森指的是该司令部根据停战协定承担的军事和行政责任。

据政府消息人士透露，政府也通过各种渠道表达了关切，而美国方面则表示完全理解并认同首尔的关切。

议员们还敦促国防部就布伦森关于韩国从华盛顿手中重新夺回战时作战控制权（OPCON）的“情况已经发生变化”的言论向华盛顿提出强烈抗议。

“我认为我们应该尽快重新夺回战时作战指挥权，”赵说，并指出美国国防部长在5月份举行的亚洲年度安全论坛——香格里拉对话上重申了对移交作战指挥权的支持。

“两国军方正在继续就移交时间进行磋商，谈判进展顺利，”他补充道。

总统府表示，首尔和华盛顿将继续根据现有协议进行磋商，并强调布伦森的言论仅代表其个人观点，不代表美国官方政策。李在明总统也重申了他对尽早移交导弹的承诺。

这张发布在赵显铉Facebook账号上的资料照片显示，2026年8月4日，韩国外交部长赵显铉（右）在首尔会见美国驻韩国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔时与她握手。（照片非卖品）（韩联社）

graceoh@yna.co.kr (完)

（第二段）李说，战时作战控制权必须尽早夺回。

韩国国防部长：韩国和美国正密切协调，确定作战指挥权移交的目标年份

消息人士称，美国对韩国就驻韩美军指挥官言论所表达的不安表示“理解”。

驻韩美军司令表示“情况已经改变”，同时强调了将作战指挥权移交给韩国的必要条件。

韩国方面表示，如果情况持续变化，基于条件的作战指挥权移交“永远”不可能。

赵外长表示，已就驻韩美军司令关于朝韩边界的言论向美国特使提出抗议。