US State Dept. Counselor meets USFK Commander amid controversy

Allison Hooker, Counselor of the U.S. Department of State, met with Gen. Paul LaCamera, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), in Seoul, a meeting drawing attention due to recent controversies surrounding LaCamera's statements and ongoing alliance discussions. The USFK shared a photo of the handshake on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Commander LaCamera welcomed Counselor Hooker's visit to Seoul today." The two officials reportedly discussed pending issues between South Korea and the United States at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul.

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Commander LaCamera welcomed Counselor Hooker's visit to Seoul today.

While it is not unusual for high-ranking State Department officials to meet with the USFK commander during visits to South Korea, this particular meeting is significant. It follows LaCamera's controversial "dagger" remark, where he described South Korea as a "dagger" aimed at China, and ongoing discussions about the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean forces. The USFK's accompanying statement, emphasizing that "USFK and the State Department are united in readiness, deterrence, and security on the Korean Peninsula. Diplomacy and defense are moving forward together," is seen by some as an effort to underscore alignment between the diplomatic and military branches of the U.S. government.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also referenced his extensive conversations with LaCamera regarding OPCON transfer during a recent security conference in Singapore, highlighting the importance of military leadership's input on such critical alliance matters. Hooker's visit to South Korea is primarily focused on advancing the initial discussions on security cooperation agreed upon by the leaders of both nations last fall. These discussions include South Korea's potential capabilities in uranium enrichment, reprocessing, and the construction of nuclear-powered submarines.

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USFK and the State Department are united in readiness, deterrence, and security on the Korean Peninsula. Diplomacy and defense are moving forward together.

Hooker expressed her pleasure on X about initiating the U.S.-ROK working group to advance the bilateral nuclear cooperation plan. She anticipates deepening and modernizing this cooperation, expecting continued progress across the bilateral relationship in the coming years. Hooker also held separate meetings with senior South Korean officials, including Yoo Sung-ok, Senior Secretary for National Security at the Presidential Office, and Jeong Yeon-doo, Deputy Minister for Strategy and Information at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on June 3rd.

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I am pleased to initiate U.S.-ROK working group discussions to advance the bilateral nuclear cooperation vision our two presidents finalized last fall.