Is Middle East crisis casting shadow over annual S. Korea-US military drills?

Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, speaks in a change-of-command ceremony held in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Dec. 20, 2024, in this photo provided by the Defense Daily. Newsis

A notable absence by the top U.S. military official in Korea at a command bunker during the start of this week’s Freedom Shield joint exercises has fueled speculation about shifting priorities within the alliance.

While U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) says the exercises remain on track, some experts suggest the move may reflect a broader shift in America's defense strategy toward what Washington calls “strategic flexibility.” Analysts note that the United States is increasingly adjusting its force posture to manage multiple crises simultaneously in the Middle East while preparing for the long-term challenge posed by China’s growing regional influence.

A local media report citing an unidentified military official said Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of United States Forces Korea (USFK) and the Combined Forces Command (CFC), did not enter the Command Post (CP) Tango bunker near Seoul until Tuesday evening — about 45 hours after the exercise began.

Typically, the CFC commander and deputy receive operational briefings from the bunker at the start of the drill. But the report said only the deputy commander, Gen. Kim Sung-min, was present, while Brunson received briefings remotely from USFK headquarters at Camp Humphreys.

USFK acknowledged that Brunson was not physically at the command center at the start of the drill, but said modern command “is defined by connectivity and leadership, not physical presence in a single location.” The report also said the preparatory Crisis Management Exercise (CMX) was delayed and that the operational start of the main drill — known as “H-hour” — was not declared as expected on Monday.

U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson leaves a gathering with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby in Seoul, Jan. 26. Yonhap

Absence shows strategic shift

Despite the clarification from USFK, a security expert who spoke on condition of anonymity suggested the commander’s absence from the command center during the start of the exercise underscores Washington’s growing emphasis on strategic flexibility. Such shifts, the expert said, could increasingly shape how U.S. forces are deployed — and how joint drills on the Korean Peninsula are conducted — as the United States balances Middle East tensions with the longer-term challenge of countering China’s regional influence.

“The United States has been moving toward greater strategic flexibility in how its forces on the Korean Peninsula are employed,” the expert told The Korea Times Wednesday. “Recent developments, such as USFK’s independent air operation in the West Sea in mid-February, indicate that the U.S. military posture on the peninsula may increasingly be linked to Washington’s broader strategy of countering China.”

He added that Freedom Shield is a combined exercise conducted based on established operational plans, meaning its structure and scenarios are largely standardized.

“Combined exercises between South Korea and the United States are designed to rehearse operational plans, so they generally follow a predetermined format,” the expert said.

However, he noted that if operational plans are revised to reflect greater strategic flexibility as demanded by the U.S., it could substantially reshape how South Korea-U.S. combined exercises are conducted in the future.

"While there have been no changes to operational plans so far, any future revisions driven by strategic flexibility could significantly reshape the structure of combined exercises between the allies," he added.

The expert also pointed to the National Security Strategy released in December 2025 under the second Donald Trump administration, which emphasized a greater role for South Korea in deterring North Korea.

“That document made clear that unless there is a critical situation, the United States expects South Korea to assume a larger role in deterrence against North Korea,” the expert said. “For USFK, strengthening strategic flexibility inevitably affects its force posture.”

Vehicles are parked at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, as the Korea-U.S. joint military exercise Freedom Shield begins. Yonhap

'Fully synchronized'

USFK did not give a reason for Brunson’s absence from the bunker but rejected suggestions that it signaled any disruption to command.

“Command in the 21st century is defined by connectivity and leadership, not physical presence in a single location,” a USFK official told The Korea Times Wednesday, stressing that there were no issues with the command structure.

“Exercises such as Freedom Shield are complex, multiphase efforts that cannot be portrayed accurately through isolated details,” said the official, adding that such reporting risks causing misunderstandings and unnecessary public concern.

USFK said Brunson had recently traveled to Thailand early this month to observe Cobra Gold 26, one of the Indo-Pacific region’s largest multinational military exercises. During the visit, he monitored South Korean naval and Marine forces operating alongside partner militaries and observed maritime strike operations, as well as the integration of U.S. Space Forces Korea capabilities into combined operations.

“Throughout that period, he remained fully synchronized with operations on the Korean Peninsula and participated directly in the CMX through secure communications,” the official said. “Gen. Brunson has consistently prioritized firsthand observation of allied readiness and interoperability.”

Following his return from Thailand, Brunson was engaged in Freedom Shield 26 from the outset, providing real-time guidance and conducting battlefield visits, the official said.

“While CP Tango remains a critical command node, modern systems allow commanders to maintain effective command and control from multiple locations,” USFK said.

“Our combined readiness remains strong, and the United States remains fully committed to the defense of the Korean Peninsula.”