Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
UNC deputy commander says drills key to preparing for evolving threats
Lt. Gen. Scott Winter, deputy commander of the United Nations Command, responds to questions during a roundtable with reporters at Dragon Hill Lodge in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of United Nations Command
By Bahk Eun-ji
Ukraine war shows deterrence can fail, underscores need for readiness
Lessons from recent conflicts are shaping how the United Nations Command (UNC) prepares for its role in defending Korea, including through the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise.
Lt. Gen. Scott Winter, deputy commander of the UNC, said Thursday the command is using every opportunity to prepare for evolving threats seen in conflicts such as Ukraine and Iran.
“The threat continues to evolve, therefore we cannot stand still,” Winter said during a roundtable with defense ministry reporters. He said the UNC uses exercises to prepare for emerging threats while seeking interoperability across all domains.
Winter pointed to North Korea’s involvement in the war in Ukraine, saying its troops are likely to have brought home lessons from their experience in the conflict.
He said one of the key lessons from the war in Ukraine is that “deterrence can fail.”
Winter said the response should include greater investment in deterrent capabilities, including hard power and what he called “the willpower of the many.” He also repeated a phrase often used by Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC): “There is no substitute for readiness.
That, Winter said, is why exercises such as the annual UFS are important for the defense of Korea.
During this year’s UFS, the UNC will focus on headquarters-level training rather than take part in field training exercises. In written responses, the command said the exercise will test communication channels, coordination procedures and crisis management protocols.
UNC personnel will also undergo specialized headquarters-level training aimed at ensuring they can integrate smoothly into the command structure. Senior diplomatic and military representatives from member states are expected to observe the exercise.
Winter said one of the UNC’s core responsibilities is coordinating contributions from its member states during a contingency. What the command practices during UFS is based on needs and requirements coordinated with the CFC, he said.
The exercises provide an opportunity for the UNC and CFC to examine what member-state contributions could look like in support of Korea’s defense. Winter said the UNC could also play an important role during a crisis by providing “options for de-escalation and the return to Armistice.”
The command is also looking at how it could contribute in newer operational domains, including information, cyberspace and space. Winter said the direction of those efforts would be determined by needs identified through coordination with Korean partners.
Additional personnel from 12 UNC member states, including the United States, will take part in this year’s UFS, according to an official with the UNC. The participants include civilian and military representatives who will work alongside existing UNC personnel during the exercise.
The official said the continued participation of member states amid a challenging global security environment demonstrates their commitment to stability and readiness on the Korean Peninsula.
Member states are also bringing specialized expertise, particularly in cybersecurity and information operations, strengthening the UNC’s ability to coordinate increasingly sophisticated multinational operations.
Winter said the UNC has changed significantly since the Korean War (1950-53) but remains committed to its core missions of enforcing the Armistice Agreement and coordinating member-state contributions to Korea’s defense.
He described the command as a learning organization that must continue to adapt as threats and the security environment change.
He said the capabilities of the UNC’s 18 member states can complement the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance, which he described as the bedrock of Korea’s defense. The command’s multinational structure can contribute to deterrence, help de-escalate a crisis and provide multinational legitimacy if deterrence fails, Winter noted.
“Fundamentally, like-minded countries being together and standing up to aggression —just as they did in 1950 — is the most powerful deterrent message that we can provide,” Winter said.