From a friend in Korea, about the presence of Chinese military officers in that country:
“I am writing to bring to your attention a development that many South Koreans find deeply alarming.
According to a recent report, three officers from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) are currently attending command and staff courses at South Korea's Army, Navy, and Air Force colleges.
This situation is difficult to comprehend.
The United States has repeatedly warned that the Chinese Communist Party is America's principal strategic competitor and has strengthened efforts to limit military exchanges with China. At the same time, thousands of U.S. troops remain stationed in South Korea under the U.S.-ROK alliance to deter aggression from North Korea and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Yet, despite these realities, officers from the PLA—a military force closely aligned with North Korea and increasingly hostile toward the United States and its allies—are being educated within South Korea's highest military institutions.
China and North Korea recently announced an expansion of military cooperation, and Beijing remains bound by its treaty obligations toward Pyongyang. In such an environment, allowing PLA officers to study Korean military doctrine, operational concepts, and command procedures raises serious questions about operational security and alliance coordination.
Many South Koreans are also concerned about China's doctrine of ‘Unrestricted Warfare,’ which emphasizes using every available means—military, political, economic, informational, and psychological—to advance the strategic interests of the Chinese Communist Party. Against this backdrop, permitting PLA officers access to South Korean military institutions appears not merely unwise but potentially dangerous.
Military education is not limited to classroom instruction. Officers build relationships, exchange ideas, and gain valuable insights through daily interaction and informal conversations. Many former military officials have warned that separating certain classes cannot fully prevent the transfer of knowledge and understanding.
Perhaps most concerning of all, reports indicate that this decision to resume military education exchanges with China was made without prior consultation with the United States or U.S. Forces Korea.
This development raises profound questions:
Why should officers from a country that maintains a military alliance with North Korea be educated inside South Korea's military institutions?
How does this policy strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance or improve deterrence against the growing China-North Korea partnership?
And what message does this send to America's allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific?
I respectfully hope that you may examine this issue and bring international attention to it. Many South Koreans believe this matter deserves serious scrutiny from both South Korea and the United States.
Thank you for your continued leadership and your steadfast support for freedom and security in the Indo-Pacific.
Source:
https://t.co/7gxdIEKL2l”