Recently, general-level commanders of the ROK military visited the USFK base and the rear base of the United Nations Command to examine the military operation function and its capabilities.
According to the military authorities on the 17th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and general-level commanders in the logistics and operational fields of each service visited major army, navy and air force bases of the US Forces Japan from the 10th to the 13th.
The ROK military authorities conduct a visit program for key positions every half year to enhance understanding of the function and role of the USFK base and UNC rear base.
General-level commanders participate in the program in the first half and field-level officers in the second half.
The program, which was suspended in 2019-21 due to the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), was resumed in May last year.
Andrew Harrison, deputy commander of the United Nations Command (Lieutenant General of the British Army), is said to have emphasized that “such facilities (rear bases) and logistics capabilities are important in situations of crisis or conflict in the region” while accompanying the visit program.
Among the USFK bases, there are a total of six bases that also serve as rear bases for the UNC Headquarters located on the Korean Peninsula.
These bases serve as an intermediary for allied forces, equipment, and supplies in case of emergency on the Korean Peninsula.
Greece, South Africa, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Denmark, United States, Belgium, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, Colombia, Thailand, Turkey, France ·Korea and 17 so-called ‘power supply countries’ of the UNC, such as the Philippines and Australia, can use these bases.
Ships and military aircraft from power supply countries still often use UNC rear bases as ports of call when conducting operations in the western Pacific region, including around the Korean Peninsula.
In particular, the Sasebo Naval Base and the Kadena Air Base monitor and crack down on violations of UN Security Council resolutions, such as illegal transshipment of North Korean ships by the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as the US Army and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. It is also used as a base for rotational deployment of troops.
ROK military general-level commanders visited the USFK base and UNC rear base from the 10th to the 13th. (Provided by the United Nations Command in Korea)In this regard, there are also observations from inside and outside the military that the UNC is seeking to reinforce and revitalize the function of the UNC centered on its rear bases in Japan in preparation for changes in functions and roles between USFK and CFC following the transfer of wartime operational control between the ROK and the US.
Currently, the Commander of the United Nations Command in Korea is concurrently serving as the Commander of the United Nations Command and the Commander of the Combined Forces Command. However, if the OPCON transfer between the ROK and the US takes place, the ROK military commander (four-star general) will command and lead the ROK-US combined forces in case of emergency as the Combined Commander.
Paul LaCamera, Commander-in-Chief of the UN Forces and Commander of US Forces Korea (left), and Genichiro Nagumo, head of the Japanese Joint Staff Department (Commander LaCamera’s Twitter)In the midst of this, Paul LaCamera, commander of the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and US Forces Korea (General of the US Army) announced on Twitter on the 15th that he had recently met Genichiro Nagumo, head of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force factory, at the Ministry of Defense in Japan.
The head of the integrated staff corresponds to the deputy chief of the joint staff of the Korean military, and the Air Self-Defense Force factory corresponds to the air force lieutenant general.
“We discussed the importance of trilateral cooperation between Korea, the U.S. and Japan,” said Commander La Camara with Director Nagumo, and wrote, “I appreciate the Japanese government’s continued support for the UNC rear base.”
During his visit to Japan, Commander LaCamera is said to have met with Ricky Rupp, commander of the U.S. Forces Japan (Lieutenant General of the Air Force), and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emmanuel to discuss the matter.
In the midst of this, Korea, the U.S., and Japan will hold a summit on the occasion of the G7 summit to be held in Hiroshima, Japan on the 19th and 21st to discuss measures to deter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. am.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.