According to Yonhap News, South Korean Foreign Minister Zhao Hyun said on the 27th that he met with U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steele at the Foreign Ministry office last week. He expressed protest against a series of remarks made by U.S. Army Commander in Korea Brunson regarding South Korean territorial sovereignty, and plans to reiterate his stance to the U.S. side.
Zhao Xian made such statements during a comprehensive national political hearing held by the Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee on that day.
Brunsen said during a seminar held by a US think tank in Washington on the 14th local time that from the perspective of the United Nations military command, South Korea's territorial boundaries begin at the barbed wire fence on the south side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). This statement was considered to involve issues related to South Korea's territorial boundaries and sparked controversy.
On May 22, Brenson appeared on a podcast hosted by a U.S. military war college program. When discussing South Korea's geopolitical strategic value in containing China under U.S. influence and the role of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, he compared South Korea to a "dagger." Moreover, he recently suggested that there might be changes in the conditions for transferring wartime combat command powers between South Korea and the United States.
According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, Zhao Xian expressed protests over a series of statements made by Steele, including statements involving Brünner's remarks regarding South Korea's territorial sovereignty. However, officials from the Foreign Ministry stated that Zhao Xian did not ‘call upon’ Steele, but simply conveyed the position to the US side.
Additionally, Stear stated on the 21st that relations between the United States and South Korea were experiencing 'turbulence'. Zhao Xian mentioned this during their breakfast meeting with Stear the previous day. He said that as long as passengers fasten their seat belts while the plane is passing through turbulent conditions, there should be no problems. Stear agreed with this statement.
