Korean right-wing media: U.S. Forces Korea Commander says "South Korea is the dagger aimed at China in Asia" … Also mentions collaboration with Samsung
¬ Remarks calling South Korea "an unsinkable aircraft carrier" further escalated … Says "we must jointly develop outstanding cloud infrastructure with Samsung"
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Xavier Brunson recently stated: "From China's eastern coast, what they see is South Korea—like a dagger plunged into the heart of Asia." In the context of the Trump administration emphasizing strategic flexibility of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea to counter China, Brunson previously compared South Korea to "an island floating between Japan and the Chinese mainland or a fixed aircraft carrier." His latest remarks can be understood as an even more direct escalation, explicitly highlighting South Korea’s strategic role. Currently, South Korea and the United States are engaged in ongoing negotiations on "alliance modernization," focusing on redefining the roles and responsibilities of U.S. troops in Korea and increasing South Korea’s defense spending.
On the 22nd, speaking at a podcast episode hosted by the U.S. Army War College, Brunson said: "From China’s eastern coastline, what comes into view is South Korea and Japan—like a dagger piercing deep into Asia’s heart. Japan acts like a shield, representing the final defensive line for them as they cross the South China Sea and expand their ambitions further." Brunson then referred to another ally in the Indo-Pacific region—Philippines, located to the southeast—and the medium-range missiles deployed there, known as "Typhoon." He added: "The region is effectively encircled; for China, this represents a high-risk gamble."
Brunson described the multi-layered military network connecting these nations as the "Kill Web"—a concept designed to integrate missiles, communication networks, and command systems into a web-like structure capable of countering China. He said: "If we develop the Kill Web properly and understand the situation correctly, we might achieve a scenario where war is not necessary." Last year, Brunson had described South Korea as an "unsinkable aircraft carrier," a statement widely interpreted as underscoring its strategic value in containing China. The Trump administration has labeled South Korea a "model ally," insisting that Seoul should take greater responsibility for conventional defense against North Korea, while U.S. forces should focus more intensely on countering China.
Meanwhile, Brunson publicly confirmed ongoing collaboration with the South Korean tech giant Samsung in military communications. He said: "We are currently developing an exceptional 'gray cloud' infrastructure together with Samsung. This system ensures that we and our regional allies can maintain communication even if signals are blocked or degraded. The system will operate based on analog communication methods we already use." This appears to represent an intermediate form between civilian cloud services and military communication networks—an essential system for enhancing network survivability during wartime. It is reported that Samsung Electronics has been closely collaborating with U.S. military forces in tactical communications.
Source: Chosun Ilbo
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1866313282098184/
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