The USFK commander has proposed reducing the current 28,500 troops in Korea to deploy advanced weapons like F-35 fighter jets under "strategic flexibility." This alignes with the US Department of Defense's broader plan to use USFK for deterrence against North Korea and counter China. Brunson warned that Beijing's attempts to turn the Yellow Sea into an "internal sea" could infringe on Korea's sovereignty, suggesting that USFK's role in containing China also serves Korea's interests.