Air Force Gen. Randall Reed, who leads U.S. Transportation Command, met with Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chairman of the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff; Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea; and other senior leaders.
“The U.S.–ROK military alliance continues to evolve for a new era,” Reed said. “Our logistics coordination must match that pace, with better speed, better decision-making, and the ability to move forces and materiel under pressure.”
Reed and Kim reviewed modernization of Korean-flagged shipping procedures and infrastructure upgrades at Jinhae Ammunition Port — both critical to moving forces and supplies during conflict.
Those same requirements were put into practice during Freedom Shield 25 in March, a combined exercise where U.S. and ROK forces featured combined, joint all-domain operations across land, sea, air, cyber, and space, reinforcing the Alliance’s ability to respond to evolving threats and security challenges.
According to USFK’s press release, the annual exercise “reinforces the Alliance’s role as the linchpin for regional peace and security, reaffirming the ironclad commitment between the U.S. and ROK to defend their homelands.”
Kim emphasized the strategic importance of the alliance, stating, “the ROK-U.S. Alliance is one of the most exemplary and powerful alliances in the world, and a central pillar in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific.”
Brunson noted that Korea’s operating environment demands adaptive planning and posture across all domains.
“Sustainment is the backbone of our ability to fight tonight,” Brunson said. “The operating environment, especially here in Korea, is constantly changing, demanding adaptive planning and posture across all domains.
“We are working hand-in-hand with our Republic of Korea allies, and our UNC partners, to synchronize our collective efforts for the unforgiving terrain and complex threats posed by regional adversaries,” he continued. “This ensures we can move with speed and maintain pressure, projecting power effectively when and where it’s needed most.”
During the visit, the USTRANSCOM commander held follow-up discussions with Brig. Gen. Hyunseok Bang, commander of ROK Transportation Command, continuing a dialogue begun during Bang’s visit to USTRANSCOM headquarters in May.
Defense officials noted that the peninsula’s mountainous terrain, limited transportation corridors, and proximity to regional threats make logistics coordination particularly complex.
“Contested logistics is our daily reality,” Reed said. “That’s why we’re strengthening relationships with military allies like the Republic of Korea — to keep logistics lines open when it matters most.”
The visit was part of Reed’s multi-nation Indo-Pacific trip, which also included recent stops in the Philippines and Japan. At each stop, he met with defense leaders, strengthened relationships, and discussed expanding logistics capacity and cooperation to help preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.
