A retired U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander on Wednesday called for the deployment of a U.S. tank battalion to South Korea to strengthen defense capabilities as he warned of North Korean military threats in the new year.

Ret. Gen. Burwell B. Bell, who led the USFK from 2006 to 2008, made the call in a New Year's message sent to the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation, noting "escalating" challenges faced by the allies from North Korea.

Mr. Bell said the next year will present the "most serious" threat to peace and stability on the peninsula since the North's 2010 sinking of a South Korean warship, which claimed 46 lives, calling on the allies to bolster readiness.

Quote

"Clearly, the United States needs to send a tank battalion to South Korea to fall in on prepositioned tank stocks and thus augment the Infantry Stryker brigade."

Source:  Yonhap

What is the current strength of U.S. Forces Korea?

The USFK maintains some 28,500 troops as well as around 280 armored vehicles, according to South Korea's 2022 Defense White Paper.