US Forces Korea Commander Apologizes After Yellow Sea Standoff, Drill Cut Short
Updated (11 articles)
Standoff Occurs Over Yellow Sea During US F‑16 Drill On Wednesday, February 20, ten USFK F‑16 fighters launched from Osan Air Base and entered the narrow airspace between South Korea’s and China’s ADIZs over the Yellow Sea, prompting a rapid Chinese fighter scramble; the encounter remained brief and no weapons were exchanged [1][3][4][5].
South Korean Leadership Files Formal Protests and Demands Transparency Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back lodged a formal protest with Gen. Xavier Brunson by phone, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Jin young‑sung made a separate complaint, both citing the lack of detailed advance notice and urging Seoul’s explicit consent for any future operations from Korean territory [3][1].
US Commander Issues Apology and Ends Exercise Early Following the incident, Brunson personally apologized to South Korean officials, acknowledging the notification shortfall; the United States subsequently terminated the drill on Thursday, February 24, two days ahead of its planned Saturday conclusion [1].
Strategic Context Highlights Shift Toward Ally‑Led China Deterrence The exercise aligns with the U.S. National Defense Strategy’s push for “flexibility” and an ally‑led posture against China, illustrated by Brunson’s “bubble perimeter” concept and simultaneous US‑Japan bomber drills in the East China Sea, while editorial voices warn the arrangement could make Korea a launchpad or target in any escalation [2][4][5].
Sources
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1.
Yonhap: US Forces Korea Commander Apologizes After Yellow Sea Air Standoff with China: Details Brunson’s apology, Ahn’s complaint about missing advance notice, the ten‑F‑16 incursion, Chinese interception, and the early termination of the drill .
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2.
Yonhap: US Air Drills Near China Prompt Korean Call for Sovereign Consent: Highlights that Seoul received only a vague notification, stresses the need for transparent disclosure and prior consent, and warns of Korea becoming a launchpad in great‑power competition .
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3.
Yonhap: South Korean Defense Minister Protests USFK Over China Jet Standoff: Reports Ahn’s formal protest via call to Brunson, the joint‑chiefs’ complaint, and the omission of drill details despite prior warning .
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4.
Yonhap: USFK F‑16 Exercise Triggers Brief Chinese Fighter Jet Response Over Yellow Sea: Describes the F‑16 flight path, Chinese scramble, lack of clash, and links the drill to the U.S. shift toward ally‑led deterrence and the “bubble perimeter” concept .
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5.
Yonhap: USFK and Chinese Jets Briefly Face Off Over Yellow Sea: Confirms the Osan‑based F‑16 launch, the gap between ADIZs, the secretive purpose of the exercise, and the broader U.S. strategy to reshape USFK’s role against China .
Timeline
2019 – present – China and Russia repeatedly enter South Korea’s air‑defence identification zone (KADIZ) once or twice a year during joint exercises, a pattern noted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as “annual bilateral cooperation” without prior notice [8].
Mar 2025 – South Korean fighter jets scramble after several Russian warplanes fly into the KADIZ near Ulleung Island and Dokdo, prompting Seoul to take “tactical measures” while confirming no breach of sovereign airspace [1].
Dec 9, 2025 – Two Chinese and seven Russian aircraft briefly enter the KADIZ over waters east and south of the peninsula, stay for about an hour, and withdraw without violating South Korean airspace; the Joint Chiefs dispatch fighters as a precaution [8].
Dec 10, 2025 – Seoul lodges a formal protest with Chinese and Russian defense attaches, stating it will “actively respond … in compliance with international law” after the KADIZ incursion, while noting the aircraft regrouped near Japan’s Tsushima Island [1][7].
Nov 17, 2025 – USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson unveils a map showing forces already inside a “bubble perimeter” and stresses “flexibility” in the region’s defence posture [6].
Jan 26, 2026 – Gen. Brunson meets South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby in Seoul, underscoring high‑level coordination ahead of upcoming drills [2].
Jan 2026 – The U.S. National Defense Strategy is released, redefining USFK’s role toward “ally‑led China deterrence” and urging partners like South Korea to assume primary responsibility for regional security [5].
Feb 20, 2026 – About ten USFK F‑16s launch from Osan and fly into international waters of the Yellow Sea between South Korean and Chinese ADIZs, prompting a brief Chinese scramble; a USFK official says “The USFK, alongside our military, maintains a powerful combined defense posture” [5].
Feb 21, 2026 – Defense Minister Ahn Gyu‑back files a formal protest with Gen. Brunson after the Yellow Sea standoff, echoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Jin young‑sung’s complaint that the U.S. omitted drill details despite prior notification [4].
Feb 22, 2026 – An editorial warns that without transparent disclosure, “Korea could become a launchpad and target” in great‑power competition, urging both ministries to codify a requirement for explicit Seoul approval of any operation from Korean territory [3].
Feb 24, 2026 – Gen. Xavier Brunson apologizes to South Korean military authorities for the February 20 exercise, acknowledging the Defense Minister’s complaint about the lack of advance notice and confirming the drill ends two days early, ahead of its originally scheduled Saturday conclusion [2].
Future (post‑Feb 2026) – South Korean officials call for a formal, publicly shared protocol that details flight paths, rules of engagement, and prior consent for all future US‑led drills, aiming to secure democratic legitimacy for any great‑power competition involving the peninsula [3].
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