Alliance Leaders Huddle at CP-TANGO During Freedom Shield 26

Photo By Carrie Castillo | Gen. Jin Young-seung, chairman of the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command wartime command post on Wednesday, March 11, to review the progress of the 2026 Freedom Shield exercise. During his visit Jin emphasized that this command post symbolizes the strength of the alliance and serves as the source of overwhelming power against our adversaries, to ensure the shared goal of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.  

SOUTH KOREA

03.10.2026

Story by Carrie Castillo and Col. Ryan Donald

U.S. Forces Korea

CP-TANGO, South Korea – Republic of Korea Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Jin Young-seung visited the Combined Forces Command Wartime Command Post (CP-TANGO) on Mar. 11, 2026, to assess readiness during the ongoing Freedom Shield 26 exercise.

Freedom Shield is a defense-oriented, combined, joint, all-domain training exercise integrating ground, air, naval, space, and cyber elements. The exercise is designed to enhance readiness, simulate realistic threats, incorporate lessons learned, address evolving security challenges in the region, and strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance’s ability to deter and defeat aggression.

U.S. Army Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, commanding general of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, welcomed Gen. Jin and provided a mission briefing reinforcing the ironclad commitment of the combined force to the defense of the Republic of Korea.

“What you see within Combined Forces Command is the evolution of this alliance,” said Brunson. “ROK and U.S. service members share the same watch and the same weight of responsibility. That’s a demonstrable strength our adversaries have to account for every single day.”

During the visit, Brunson and Jin inspected the combined and joint operational posture, reviewed the progression of Freedom Shield 26, and observed the theater operations center, which oversees all military operations on the Korean Peninsula.

Gen. Jin and Gen. Brunson shared the view that amid a rapidly changing security environment and evolving threats, a firm combined defense posture rooted in the Fight Tonight readiness posture is more important than ever. They agreed on the need to strengthen consultations to further develop the combined defense system based on shared values and common objectives aimed at maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Combined Forces Command's mission is to deter aggression and if necessary, defend the Republic of Korea to maintain stability in Northeast Asia. The Service Members of the United States and the Republic of Korea have stood together for more than 60 years maintaining the Armistice and setting the conditions for stability and prosperity in the Republic of Korea.

• Date Taken: 03.10.2026
• Date Posted: 03.12.2026 02:36
• Story ID: 560341
• Location: KR