Lt. Gen. Scott Winter, deputy commander of the U.N. Command (UNC), urged prudence in any changes to the control and use of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. He described the armistice as a "proven framework" and warned against undermining it. The remarks come as the U.S.-led UNC objects to bills promoting peaceful use of the military buffer zone.
Lt. Gen. Scott Winter made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency on Thursday at Dragon Hill Lodge Hotel in Seoul. "What I would say is that when you've got a proven framework that works so well, I'd be very wary of doing anything that could change what is already working extremely well," he said. He added that any change undermining the system's integrity for management and de-escalation must be approached cautiously.
The UNC currently administers the DMZ as the southern enforcer of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. It has objected to bills seeking to promote peaceful use of the zone, citing safety concerns and the need to adhere to the agreement. Winter praised South Korean soldiers serving in what he called "one of the most dangerous bits of terrain anywhere on Earth."
Winter highlighted the interconnected global security environment, citing the North Korea-Russia nexus emerging from Ukraine as a reminder that threats are linked. "The beauty of UNC is so many of those like-minded nations are represented in that framework, so it's opportunity for collaboration," he said. On the potential handover of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul, he said discussions are needed to address capability gaps, but multilateralism remains vital for deterrence.
An Australian who first visited South Korea 16 years ago, Winter noted a recent gathering of army chiefs from Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia in Gapyeong county last week. The event commemorated 2,000 troops of the 27th Commonwealth Brigade who fought in April 1951, buying time for U.N. forces.
