By Ankit Panda
The commander of U.S. Forces Korea highlighted North Korea’s progress in developing asymmetric military capabilities.
Speaking in Seoul last week, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, the top commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the Combined Forces Command (CFC), remarked that the United States and South Korea were concerned by North Korea’s recent progress in developing asymmetric military capabilities. Gen. Scaparrotti offered insights that reveal the current South Korean and U.S. understanding of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a man who despite having been in power for over two years, remains an enigma. Despite this, North Korea strategy has remained mostly consistent in recent years, with a focus on asymmetric capabilities.
“Kim Jong-un, unlike his father Kim Jong-il, is overconfident and unpredictable,” Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti remarked, adding that Kim, “realizing that he cannot win in a conventional war, [has] focused on his military development and training on asymmetric capability. I would tell you that the North Korean military is making progress in these areas.” Specifically, Gen. Scaparrotti noted that the United States’ “top concern is that we have very little warning of the North’s asymmetric attack, which could start a cycle of action and counter-actions. This underscores the need for the alliance to maintain a high level of readiness.”
Read the full story at The Diplomat