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

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday he had raised South Korea’s concerns with U.S. Ambassador Michelle Steel last week over USFK Commander Xavier Brunson’s remarks about the inter-Korean border. Brunson had said that, from the U.N. Command’s perspective, Korean territory begins at the DMZ’s southern fence line, prompting criticism that he was questioning South Korea’s sovereignty. The UNC said the remarks referred to its military and administrative responsibilities under the Armistice Agreement, not sovereignty. Cho also backed an early wartime OPCON transfer, while Seoul and Washington continue discussions on its timing.

Under the Korean Constitution, South Korea’s territory encompasses the entire Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands.

The UNC said Brunson’s remarks concerned the command’s military and administrative responsibilities under the Armistice Agreement.

Cho said the U.S. secretary of defense reaffirmed support for the OPCON transfer at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May.

The presidential office said Seoul and Washington were consulting under their existing agreement and that Brunson’s remarks were his personal views, not official U.S. policy.

Published Oct 27, 2026 3:03 pm KST

Updated Oct 27, 2026 5:21 pm KST

Commander of U.S. Forces Korea Gen. Xavier Brunson, right, speaks during an American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM)-hosted uncheon at a hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. On the left is U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday he lodged a complaint to U.S. Ambassador to 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, 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.

"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 Korea's territorial sovereignty. Under the Korean Constitution, the country's territory encompasses the entire Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands.

The UNC later clarified that 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 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.

韩国外长赵显铉周二表示，他上周已就驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森关于朝韩边界的言论向美国驻韩大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔表达了韩国的关切。布伦森曾表示，从联合国军司令部的角度来看，韩国领土始于非军事区南侧的围栏线，此番言论引发了外界对其质疑韩国主权的批评。联合国军司令部则表示，布伦森的言论指的是其在停战协定下的军事和行政职责，而非主权问题。赵显铉还表示支持尽早移交战时作战指挥权，目前首尔和华盛顿仍在就移交时间进行磋商。

根据韩国宪法，韩国的领土包括整个朝鲜半岛及其邻近岛屿。

北卡罗来纳大学表示，布伦森的言论涉及该司令部根据停战协定承担的军事和行政责任。

赵表示，美国国防部长在5月份的香格里拉对话会上重申了对作战指挥权移交的支持。

总统府表示，首尔和华盛顿正在根据现有协议进行磋商，布伦森的言论是其个人观点，不代表美国官方政策。

发布于2026年10月27日下午3:03（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月27日下午5:21（韩国标准时间）

周三，驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军（右）在首尔一家酒店举行的由韩国美国商会（AMCHAM）主办的交流会上发表讲话。左侧是美国驻韩国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔。

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·斯蒂尔提出申诉。

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，朝鲜领土始于非军事区（DMZ）的南侧围栏线，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。

“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，韩国的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根据停战协定，该司令部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指挥权（OPCON）的“条件已经改变”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。