General Xavier Brunson, commander of United States Forces Korea (USFK), emphasized the need for flexibility on South Korea's part as the two allies work to "modernize" their military partnership.

Speaking at a press conference held at Camp Humphreys, south of Seoul, on Friday, Brunson noted that changes may be necessary within the 28-thousand-500-strong USFK, adding that future discussions should focus on capabilities rather than troop numbers.

When asked whether the upcoming summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump would include talks of a reduction or adjustment in USFK, Brunson said he was unsure but indicated that a decision would be made soon.

He also underscored the importance of adapting the alliance to reflect the "markedly different" security landscape in Northeast Asia compared to 75 years ago, highlighting threats posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea and an increasingly assertive China in the Indo-Pacific region.

On the issue of transferring wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul, Brunson cautioned that taking "shortcuts" could undermine the readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula.