(2 Oct 2013) The new US Forces Korea (USFK) commander was inaugurated at the USFK military base in Seoul on Wednesday.
The outgoing commander, General James D. Thurman, was replaced by General Curtis M. Scaparrotti.
The ceremony was co-hosted by visiting US Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel and South Korean Defence Minister Kim Kwan-Jin.
Scaparrotti will assume command of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and US Forces Korea from Thurman, who has served as the commander since July 2011.
"The Republic of Korea Armed Forces are truly one of the best-trained, best-equipped, best-led militaries in the world," Hagel said during his speech. "Together our forces stand ready to counter any provocation. And if called upon, they stand ready to fight and to win."
"When Minister Kim and I visited Outpost Ouellette on Monday, it was a vivid reminder of the perils posed by the North Korean regime," he added. "But make no mistake - our alliance will always be able to prevail in any contest on this peninsula."
Scaparrotti - who previously served as the Director of the Joint Staff - was nominated by US President Barack Obama and confirmed by the US Senate.
Before his tour with the Joint Staff, Scaparrotti served as Commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command and as Deputy Commander of US Forces in Afghanistan.
"I am confident in our war-fighting abilities, in our ability to deter North Korean aggression and, if necessary, decisively fight and win," Scaparrotti said.
Hagel has spent four days in South Korea, meeting top leaders and attending ceremonies commemorating the 60th anniversary of the signing of the mutual defence treaty between the US and South Korea.
He also travelled to the Demilitarised Zone.
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