Former USFK Commander, Vincent Brooks, on the 17th of local time, talked about the need for military pressure on the North Korean military, and resumed ROK-US combined military drills, saying the North Korean military needs to be pressured by the North Koreans, such as the bombing of North Korea's Kaesong inter-Korean joint office.

Former US Commander Brooks said at a video seminar on issues related to the Korean Peninsula hosted by the US Think Tank Strategic and International Research Institute (CSIS), "If we are the commander of the US military in Korea, we will pursue a way to increase the pressure on (North Korea) by military means." I said this.

After explaining that he had practiced a lot in 2016-2018 regarding the North Korean countermeasures, he said, "This is like saying that the Korean Peninsula will release the suspension of strategic assets." Nuclear power bombers, F-35 fighters, aircraft carriers, Listed nuclear submarines, etc.

He said this has not happened since the spring of 2018, and he stressed that these measures would shake North Korea and that North Korea should feel that they may have crossed the road.

Former US Commander Brooks said, "If I am a USFK commander, I will suggest that it is a good time to do the training." "This training will no longer be a matter of discussion with North Korea or their influence." We discussed the need.

But he said, "All of this will create military pressure, but this must be done in conjunction with regaining the traction of diplomatic engagement, whether in North or North America."

He added, "North Korea is motivated to induce divisions between the United States and South Korea," and emphasized that maintaining close contact with the United States, including the security chief, should be the first thing.

After evaluating that North Korea is now taking the first steps, he said there will be several actions already planned, such as setting up guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone. "We want them to take action to hesitate to follow up," he said.

In addition, the Panmunjom Joint Security Area was very concerned about the high risk of misjudgment due to the physical proximity of the two Koreas.

(Photo = Yonhap News)