N. Korea seeks friction among superpowers: USFK commander

By Rachel Lee

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is attempting to prevent the cohesion of five countries surrounding the Korean Peninsula to buy time to develop its nuclear capability, said Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).

According to the USFK website Friday, during his speech at the U.S. Strategic Command Deterrence Symposium in Nebraska, Wednesday, Brooks said the North Korean leader is seeking to preclude the development of cohesion among China, Russia, Japan, Korea and the U.S.

“His actions intend to sow friction and fissures among the five in order to prevent them from coming together as a cohesive bloc,” Brooks said.

Comparing the North Korean leader to five fingers of a hand, the commander said Kim is trying to “prevent the creation of a closed fist against him, while trying to address the open fingers one at a time.”

“This helps him to try to buy time for capability development,” he said.

Brooks also said the North’s nuclear program is accelerating, with nearly weekly tests becoming the “new normal.”

Calling North Korea’s nuclear program “wicked,” Brooks suggested innovating, thinking differently about what it is and finding new ways to address the problem.

“The international community is seeking deterrence _ in other words, seeking a choice to be made by North Korea,” the commander said.

“Compellence, however, must remain an option if North Korea does not choose to be deterred instead. So at this point it’s a choice.”

Brooks also mentioned South Korea’s deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery and Patriot missile defense systems upgrades, all of which the commander said are to “enhance the alliance ballistic missile defense.”