Can new defense minister nominee's US ties help navigate alliance challenges?
Gen. Xavier Brunson, left, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, poses with Kang Shin-chul, then-deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, in a photo posted on Brunson’s social media account in March 2025. Captured from X (formerly Twitter)
CFC experience could help Kang navigate OPCON, joint exercises
Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul is drawing attention not only for his extensive military career, but also for his experience working closely with U.S. commanders — particularly Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and U.S. Forces Korea.
Military and defense officials who have worked with Kang describe him as someone who understands how the U.S. military thinks and prefers coordination over pushing his own position. That experience could prove useful as Seoul and Washington face sensitive negotiations over the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) and joint military exercises.
Kang and Brunson served together at the CFC for about nine months, from Brunson’s arrival in Korea in December 2024 until Kang stepped down as deputy commander in September 2025.
Their rapport was evident in a message Brunson posted on X (formerly Twitter) when Kang left the post.
“Our forces are more cohesive, capable & prepared because of you,” Brunson wrote alongside a photo of the two generals. “I’m a better Commander for your example of meeting expectations.”
He ended the message on a personal note: “You’re always family. Katchi Kapshida! We Go Together!”
“He is extremely knowledgeable in strategy and policy and has a strong grasp of military affairs,” a military official who has worked with Kang said. “My understanding is that U.S. generals recognized that as well.”
The official also pointed to Kang’s experience across the presidential office, the Ministry of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and CFC as an asset in dealing with the U.S.
“He understands the positions of both the Korean government and military, as well as the U.S. side,” the official said. “He knows the history and process behind alliance coordination, which allows him to explain Korea’s position and help the other side understand it.”
A graduate of the Korea Military Academy, Kang previously served as chief director of strategic planning and chief director of operations at the JCS before being promoted to four-star general and appointed as CFC deputy commander in 2023. He later became ambassador to Saudi Arabia before President Lee Jae Myung nominated him as defense minister on Aug. 30.
The Ministry of National Defense building is seen in Yongsan District, Seoul, Aug. 14. Newsis
Another military source familiar with Kang’s tenure at the CFC said he likely played an important role in helping Brunson understand the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and the workings of the alliance after the U.S. general arrived in Korea.
That familiarity could soon be put to the test.
The government is seeking to complete the Full Operational Capability (FOC) assessment for the future combined command this year and move toward setting a target year for OPCON transfer. The allies conducted FOC-related assessments during last month’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise.
But Seoul and Washington still have issues to work through over the conditions and timing of the transfer.
The Lee administration is pushing to complete the transfer before the president’s term ends, while Brunson has said he submitted a road map to the U.S. Department of Defense aimed at meeting the necessary conditions by the first quarter of 2029.
Kang, for his part, has avoided committing to a specific timeline. He told reporters last week that OPCON transfer should be pursued “in a way that strengthens the Korea-U.S. alliance,” emphasizing that the transfer itself is possible because of the alliance.
A military official said Kang’s experience gives him an advantage in such discussions because “he would understand the U.S. position while also understanding what the Korean side wants.”
“Having worked together, he would have a better understanding of the concerns and difficulties on the U.S. side,” the official said.
Officials who have worked with Kang also describe him as someone who listens and coordinates rather than trying to impose his views. One military official described him as “very knowledgeable” and an avid reader.
Still, Kang's rapport with Brunson has its limits. Brunson is not the defense minister’s direct counterpart and major alliance decisions ultimately depend on policy choices made in Seoul and Washington.
“Brunson also takes his instructions from the U.S. defense secretary,” one military official said. “When an issue goes beyond defense, it has to be dealt with at the diplomatic or presidential level.”
Kang’s intellectual bent could also present a different challenge. His abstract answers to reporters have recently drawn criticism, including his response to a question about integrating Korea’s military academies: “We were ourselves in the past, we are ourselves now, and we will be ourselves in the future.”
“There’s no question that he’s smart and well-read,” an official who has worked with Kang said. “But as a senior government official, you have to ask whether that kind of language is appropriate.”