Brunson tells AMCHAM Korea that industrial strength sustains credible deterrence

Commander and U.S. ambassador address about 200 business leaders at Freedom 250 luncheon

SEOUL, South Korea (Oct. 21, 2026) -- Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, told Korean and American business leaders Wednesday that credible deterrence depends on the industrial base behind the force.

"Credible deterrence takes more than a platform. It takes the industrial strength to sustain them," Brunson said.

Brunson spoke at a special luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea at Mondrian Seoul Itaewon. U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Michelle Park Steel also spoke. About 200 representatives of chamber member companies and other global and Korean businesses attended. The event commemorated Freedom 250, the 250th anniversary of the United States, under the theme "The U.S.-ROK Alliance in a Changing World: Strengthening Security, Prosperity & Partnership."

Brunson told the audience that Korean and American industry leaders are "an inseparable part of our combined defense system." They are not just suppliers, he said. They are partners in deterrence.

After their remarks, Brunson and Steel joined a fireside conversation moderated by James Kim, the chamber's chairman and CEO. The discussion covered Korea's evolving international role, alliance priorities, and the future of U.S. Forces Korea. It also examined how Korea could draw on its defense and manufacturing strengths to become a regional sustainment hub, strengthen military readiness, and deepen defense-industrial cooperation. On economic security, the speakers discussed how policy coordination supports business investment and innovation, including regulatory predictability and U.S. energy investment.

Kim said the alliance now reaches well beyond defense. "Economic security and national security now go hand in hand," he said.

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