ED USFK 'east-up' map

An “east-up” map that places the east at the top instead of north, shown by Gen. Xavier Brunson, to illustrate the strategic value of South Korea as well as the triangular framework connecting South Korea, Japan and the Philppines. Courtesy of U.S. Forces Korea

Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the 28,500 U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), explained his training method for his troops that expands upon and describes in detail what strategic military flexibility and alliance modernization would mean for South Korea.

In an essay posted on the USFK website and in written responses from Korean defense press corps, Brunson reorients Northeast Asia's map east-up, reframing it so that U.S. forces already "positioned on the Korean Peninsula are revealed not as distant assets requiring reinforcement but as troops already positioned inside the bubble perimeter that the U.S. would need to penetrate in the event of crisis or contingency."

This shift in view "illuminates Korea's role as a natural strategic pivot," the commander noted. He focuses specifically on the distances between major cities when the map is east-up. Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, is 158 miles (254 kilometers) from Pyongyang, 612 miles from Beijing and approximately 500 miles from Vladivostok. Thus, South Korea is "positioned to address northern threats from Russia while simultaneously providing western reach against Chinese activities in the waters between Korea and China," he wrote.

He also lays out the strategic triangle connecting South Korea, Japan and the Philippines as the "most significant" part of the east-up map orientation. The triangle framework would offer "complementary capabilities," he wrote, delegating South Korea to "provide strategic depth and central positioning within the regional structure with the added advantage of cost-imposition capabilities against both Russian and Chinese forces."

Through methodical, step-by-step reasoning, Brunson painstakingly explains the “strategic flexibility” of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea — a phrase that once sounded like an abstract, long-term goal for USFK, implying the forces could be repositioned during a regional contingency. In doing so, Brunson increases the pressure on South Korea to accept this strategic flexibility and even go further to consider a more heightened role.

His insights seem genuinely innovative, especially as he highlights the strategic military importance of the Korean Peninsula. A region that once sat at a geographical disadvantage in the previous century no longer lies on the peripheries or functions as a distant post. Instead, Brunson's argument positions South Korea as a regional military hub, adding new security and diplomatic burdens for its ally.

As the world moves into a new 21st century global order — one that is increasingly shaped by the rivalry between the United States and China — and as South Korea rises to no longer be just a small shrimp squeezed between two whales, but an economic powerhouse — the pressure on the alliance is growing.

The recent tariff agreement between the U.S. and South Korea, formalized in the written joint fact sheet on trade and security issues, has been criticized for giving up much in defense in order to close the deal. South Korea agreed to raise the defense budget to 3.5 percent of GDP and pledged 47 trillion won ($33 billion) for USFK through 2035, essentially acquiescing to U.S. President Donald Trump's demand that ally nations shoulder more of the burden of defense cost sharing. The continuing push from the U.S. for South Korea to play a central role in the Northeast Asian region is an added bill that could have real repercussions. Immediately, North Korea on Tuesday denounced the Seoul-Washington joint fact sheet as "formulating" policy to remain hostile toward Pyongyang. In addition, it said the South's push to build nuclear submarines could spur a "nuclear domino" effect in the region.

More broadly, the recent flare-up in tensions between Japan and China over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan is growing. Firmly protesting Takaichi's statement that an attack on Taiwan could trigger the deployment of her country’s self-defense forces if the conflict posed an existential threat, China has also recommended that its citizens do not travel to Japan or plan studies there.

China has also expressed concern over South Korea's plan to build a nuclear-powered submarine, which President Lee Jae Myung successfully requested during his summit with Trump on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation events in late October.

A deeper role for South Korea in the region's defense is not likely to unfold quietly. The region, while volatile at times, has managed security risks through a mix of diplomatic efforts and economic interdependence. South Korea can pursue modernization and strategic flexibility, but it also must navigate the balance and counterbalance dynamics that underpin regional stability and its own interests. The United States, as its strongest ally, should realize that.