Army chief, 8th Army commander inspect sustainment capabilities amid joint drills | Yonhap News Agency

## Summary
Army stationed in the South, made a joint visit to a U.S. military installation in the southeastern county of Chilgok on Monday to inspect their combined sustainment capabilities, officials said. Joseph Hilbert, commander of the Eighth Army, to the Army Prepositioned Stock-4 (APS-4) facility at Camp Carroll came as South Korea and the United States were conducting their annual springtime Freedom Shield military exercise, according to the officials. Their visit was organized to reaffirm the steadfast South Korea-U.S. alliance and combined defense posture and discuss ways to strengthen and modernize their combined sustainment capabilities in the event of a contingency, the South's Army said. "Given that capabilities to sustain operations are an important factor to ensure victory in modern warfare, we will seek to advance such capabilities through the on-site visit," Kim said, calling the alliance and the combined defense posture "cornerstones" supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Korea holds parliamentary elections prev Army chief, 8th Army commander inspect sustainment capabilities amid joint drills Next Army chief, 8th Army commander inspect sustainment capabilities amid joint drills

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By Lee Minji
SEOUL, March 16 (Yonhap) -- The chief of the South Korean Army and the commander of the Eighth Army, the U.S. Army stationed in the South, made a joint visit to a U.S. military installation in the southeastern county of Chilgok on Monday to inspect their combined sustainment capabilities, officials said.
The visit by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Gyu-ha and Lt. Gen. Joseph Hilbert, commander of the Eighth Army, to the Army Prepositioned Stock-4 (APS-4) facility at Camp Carroll came as South Korea and the United States were conducting their annual springtime Freedom Shield military exercise, according to the officials.
Their visit was organized to reaffirm the steadfast South Korea-U.S. alliance and combined defense posture and discuss ways to strengthen and modernize their combined sustainment capabilities in the event of a contingency, the South's Army said.
"Given that capabilities to sustain operations are an important factor to ensure victory in modern warfare, we will seek to advance such capabilities through the on-site visit," Kim said, calling the alliance and the combined defense posture "cornerstones" supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Hilbert called Kim's visit to the facility "a testament to the readiness and modernization" of their alliance.
"These stocks are not just equipment in a warehouse; they are a clear, physical demonstration of our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea," he said in a separate release by the Eighth Army, calling South Korea by its formal name.
The APS-4 program strategically positions entire sets of combat equipment, ranging from tanks to wheeled vehicles, in climate-controlled facilities, dramatically shortening deployment times, according to the U.S. military command.
The ongoing Freedom Shield exercise is set to wrap up on Thursday after an 11-day run.
A U.S. CH-47 Chinook helicopter airlifts a pontoon bridge during a joint South Korea-U.S. river-crossing drill on the Imjin River in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, on March 14, 2026. The maneuver was conducted as part of the annual Freedom Shield combined exercise. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
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Army chief, 8th Army commander inspect sustainment capabilities amid joint drills
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Army chief, 8th Army commander inspect sustainment capabilities amid joint drills

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Their visit was organized to reaffirm the steadfast South Korea-U.S. alliance and combined defense posture and discuss ways to strengthen and modernize their combined sustainment capabilities in the event of a contingency, the South's Army said. "Given that capabilities to sustain operations are an important factor to ensure victory in modern warfare, we will seek to advance such capabilities through the on-site visit," Kim said, calling the alliance and the combined defense posture "cornerstones" supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

### Areas for Consideration
- Korea-U.S. military exercise sites Multinational augmentees from UNC member states participate in Freedom Shield exercise Keywords #Freedom Shield Articles with issue keywords Most Liked (News Focus) USFK's relocation of military assets to Middle East raises concerns about Seoul's capability to deter N.K. threats 16th Gwangju Biennale: You must change your life BTS expands Gwanghwamun concert capacity to 22,000 with added standing zones (2nd LD) N.

### Implications
- Their visit was organized to reaffirm the steadfast South Korea-U.S. alliance and combined defense posture and discuss ways to strengthen and modernize their combined sustainment capabilities in the event of a contingency, the South's Army said. "Given that capabilities to sustain operations are an important factor to ensure victory in modern warfare, we will seek to advance such capabilities through the on-site visit," Kim said, calling the alliance and the combined defense posture "cornerstones" supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
- Korea-U.S. military exercise sites Multinational augmentees from UNC member states participate in Freedom Shield exercise Keywords #Freedom Shield Articles with issue keywords Most Liked (News Focus) USFK's relocation of military assets to Middle East raises concerns about Seoul's capability to deter N.K. threats 16th Gwangju Biennale: You must change your life BTS expands Gwanghwamun concert capacity to 22,000 with added standing zones (2nd LD) N.
- Korea, U.S. conduct joint drills BTS to launch 'Arirang' pop-ups to mark new album release Most Saved 16th Gwangju Biennale: You must change your life (2nd LD) N.
- Korea, U.S. conduct joint drills (LEAD) N.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers korea, army, joint topics. Notable strengths include discussion of korea. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 652.