WASHINGTON, The top American general on Wednesday highlighted the South Korea-U.S. alliance’s watchword, “We go together,” as he reflected on the past and present of the evolving bilateral partnership forged in the crucible of war decades ago.
At the Korean National Day event hosted by the South Korean Embassy in the United States, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, touched on the 1950-53 Korean War, where he said the watchword reverberated among South Korean and U.S. soldiers on the ground.
“They fought side by side, shoulder to shoulder for freedom, democracy and the rule of law. ‘We go together’ became our shared slogan,” Brown said. “Ever since then, our two countries have worked together to combat regional and global threats.”
The general said the alliance, “born from combat and conflict,” is now geared toward promoting “peace, vigilance and strength.” He also stressed that the partnership between the two nations has deepened “beyond just our military alliance.”
“We work together to strengthen our respective economies and recently focused on our future opportunities, including in space, energy and health,” he said. “The alliance has proved just how much we can achieve when we work together.”
Also attending the event was National Security Council Coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs Kurt Campbell who underscored the expanding scope of the alliance.
“We go together not just on the Korean Peninsula, but global,” he said. “We work together in the Indo-Pacific. We work together on common challenges and technology. Our peoples have never been closer together.”
Noting that the allies confront “unprecedented challenges” from North Korea, Campbell said, “We will remain vigilant no matter what we face.”
Campbell also expressed his satisfaction at the headway that the U.S. has made in forging stronger ties with regional allies.
“One thing that gives me encouragement when I get up and think about doing my job is that our partnership with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific has never been stronger,” he said. “In many respects, this is the absolute high point of what we have sought for decades and for years.”
He also noted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s role in the alliance.
“I do want to say that the person that we look to in the Indo-Pacific for courage and leadership is President Yoon. He has led us in remarkable ways,” he said.
Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, took note of South Korea’s growing influence in American society.
“We’ve already seen Korea’s rise to the level of truly global influence. It’s not just your power. It’s not just your influence and your economic mind,” he said. “Korean culture, Korean food, Korean music are everywhere whether it’s BTS or the movie, Parasite.”
South Korean Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong underscored the “deep-rooted, multifaceted” relationship between Seoul and Washington as he commented on progress in economic and other aspects of the bilateral ties.
“On the economic front, the U.S. is Korea’s second largest trade partner, and may soon overtake China as our number one export destination,” he said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency
