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News | Dec. 29, 2015

U.S. Strategic Command and the Republic of Korea Strengthen Alliance with visit of Maj. Gen. Jin-Won Lee

U.S. Strategic Command Public Affairs

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - Maj. Gen. Jin-Won Lee, Republic of Korea (ROK) Army Missile Command (AMC) commander, met with U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) senior leaders at the combatant command’s headquarters, Dec. 21, to strengthen the alliance between the U.S. and ROK as part of a continuing effort to confront the broad range of global strategic challenges.

While here, Lee had a discussion with U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D Haney, USSTRATCOM commander, and met with subject matter experts to discuss topics of mutual interest, including strategic deterrence and missile defense.

“My visit at USSTRATCOM today was very impressive because the staff was very friendly and they’re very passionate when briefing and in discussions,” said Lee. “Throughout my visit here today, I was fortunate to gain a better understanding of USSTRATCOM’s capacity.”

Lee described USSTRATCOM as the “core axis of deterrence around the world” and said he wanted to learn more about the unified combatant command’s organization and how it functions.

“ROK AMC was established 10 years ago, so it can be regarded as a somewhat new command,” he said. “Because of this, I think it is really important to have coordination and cooperation between the ROK AMC and USSTRATCOM.”

Lee said that prior to his visit, most of what he knew of USSTRATCOM was learned from the internet and news articles. He added that his visit gave him a better understanding of the U.S.’s missile defense capabilities and he would like to see more senior leader engagements between the command and the ROK AMC.

“I believe that when I go back to the Republic of Korea, based on what I learned today, it will be really helpful to me for setting up some of the operational plans in South Korea,” he said.

Lee pointed to past engagements, including Haney’s visit to the ROK in June, as examples of how “the Republic of Korea and U.S. alliance remains very firm and strong.”

During Haney’s visit to the ROK as part of a trip throughout the Pacific, the admiral met with senior leaders from U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Forces Korea and U.S. Forces Japan and held bilateral engagements with the Republic of Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and other host-nation leaders.

“This visit underscores the importance we place on our partnerships throughout the Pacific. The Republic of Korea is very important to the strategic stability in the Asia-Pacific region,” Haney said. “The work we do together is important because of the combined capability that we bring, particularly when you look at what we do together in missile defense.”

Maj. Gen. Lee said that “Adm. Haney""s visit last June is very meaningful because it shows the U.S.’s will to respond in a contingency situation.”

He went on to discuss the U.S. Department of Defense and ROK Minister of National Defense three-pronged strategy with regard to missile defense in the region, which includes; 1) detecting signs of missile launches, 2) disrupting the adversaries’ intensions to launch, and 3) destroying the adversaries’ capacity and assets and defending against attacks with missile defense capabilities.

“In consideration of those three important concepts, the coordination between USSTRATCOM and ROK AMC is really important,” said Lee.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Clinton E. Crosier, USSTRATCOM director of plans and policy, pointed out the similarities between the missions of USSTRATCOM and the ROK AMC.

“Just like the priorities that Maj. Gen. Lee talked about, our commander’s priorities are to detect and deter strategic attacks against the U.S. and its allies,” he said. “The way we deter attacks from our adversaries is to stand strong and firm together and to ensure our military forces are always ready to defend against any threat that comes against us.”

Crosier also discussed the close partnership the U.S. and ROK have shared for many years and said he looks forward to continuing and growing the alliance.

“The Korean people and the American people have much in common: We’re both vibrant democracies, and we’re committed to peace,” he said. “The ROK and the U.S. alliance will remain strong as long as we remain together.

“The ROK AMC and USSTRATCOM also have many things in common,” Crosier concluded. “Through General Lee’s visit today, we will start an even greater partnership between AMC and USSTRATCOM as we move forward.“

One of nine DoD unified combatant commands, USSTRATCOM has global strategic missions, assigned through the Unified Command Plan, which include strategic deterrence; space operations; cyberspace operations; joint electronic warfare; global strike; missile defense; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; combating weapons of mass destruction; and analysis and targeting.

For more information, contact USSTRATCOM Public Affairs, (402) 294-4130, or via email: pa@stratcom.mil.