UNC not to proceed with plan for security brigade after talks with Korea: Defense minister

The United Nations Command (UNC) has agreed not to proceed with its plan to establish a brigade combining its border security and armistice enforcement operations after consultations with Korea, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Friday.

Ahn made the remarks following news reports that the UNC is pushing to create a brigade responsible for guarding the Joint Security Area (JSA) within the truce village of Panmunjom and enforcing the 1950-53 Korean War Armistice Agreement.

Under the existing structure, the UNC’s security battalion at Camp Bonifas in Paju, north of Seoul, guards the Joint Security Area, while the secretariat of its Military Armistice Commission (MAC) at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, some 60 kilometers (37.3 miles) south of Seoul, handles border entry approvals, investigations into armistice violations and other missions.

The reported UNC plan calls for consolidating these operations into one brigade, led by the MAC commander.

Korea has expressed opposition to the plan, the news reports said.

“[We] discussed [the issue] with each other and came to an agreement that [the UNC] probably would not go ahead with the establishment of the security brigade or hold a [launch] ceremony for it,” Ahn told reporters.

Asked whether it meant that the brigade would not be established at all, he said that would be the case.

But he declined to confirm whether he had delivered Seoul’s objection to U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson, who doubles as the UNC commander, only saying that the two sides meet and communicate frequently.

The Defense Ministry also dismissed the news reports as “untrue” but declined to confirm details of discussions with the UNC.

Meanwhile, the UNC did not confirm or clarify whether the plan for a new brigade was scrapped. Instead, it stated that it routinely reviews its organizations to ensure effective execution of its core missions.

“Current planning reflects an internal reorganization of existing resources only, with zero growth in personnel, infrastructure or capabilities on the Korean Peninsula,” it said in response to a query by Yonhap News Agency.

The UNC also noted that it had informed the Korean government of the planning efforts throughout the consideration process.

“This effort is intended to improve command and control, coordination and support while maintaining UNC’s existing responsibilities under the armistice agreement,” it said.

Yonhap