TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US forces stationed in South Korea will expand their operational scope beyond the Korean Peninsula to prepare for a Taiwan contingency, a move meant to strengthen deterrence against North Korea and China.
General Xavier T. Brunson, commander of United States Forces Korea (USFK), said at a forum in Seoul on Dec. 29 that “Korea is not simply responding to threats on the peninsula, per Nikkei Asia. In anticipation of a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the USFK recently published an East Asia map on its website, and Brunson has reportedly ordered it for internal use to adopt “strategic flexibility.”
Under the US–South Korea alliance, USFK’s primary mission is to deter North Korea. Seoul authorities emphasize that defending the Korean Peninsula should remain USFK’s top priority and have expressed concern that Washington might deploy troops to third countries.
The push for greater flexibility reflects Washington’s growing concerns over a Taiwan contingency with China. The Pentagon’s December report on China’s military advancements said the PLA is making “steady progress” toward the capability to launch and win a war against Taiwan by the end of 2027.
About 28,000 US troops are stationed roughly 70 kilometers south of Seoul. Brunson said in November that South Korea’s location gives it unique leverage along multiple strategic axes, including north toward North Korea and west toward China.
He added that USFK can deter China’s Northern Theater Command by operating in the waters off Korea’s western coast.
In September, USFK deployed an MQ-9 Reaper drone to Gunsan Air Base. Beyond monitoring North Korea, the drone can be sent to the Yellow Sea to track China’s naval movements.
China views the first island chain as a defensive barrier, while the US sees it as a line to block Beijing’s expansion into the Pacific. A US military official told Nikkei that South Korea could serve as a key anchor along the chain to monitor Chinese ships and limit access to open waters.
Brunson said the US wants the South Korean military to expand the range of its operations. USFK plans to operate more actively beyond the Korean Peninsula and ensure participation in large-scale training exercises.
Inverted map of East Asia posted by USFK on its website. (USFK image)