German Chancellor Tours Panmunjom JSA, Reaffirms Peace Partnership

The Chosun Ilbo · Lee Se-young · 2026-10-30 13:12 UTC

German Chancellor Tours Panmunjom JSA, Reaffirms Peace Partnership Visit highlights Germanys medical aid, UN Command role in maintaining Korean peace

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in Gyeonggi Province’s Paju on the 30th, accompanied by U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson. The visit to the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom took place in a format where Gen. Brunson walked alongside Chancellor Merz and provided direct guidance. Chancellor Merz made an official two-day visit to South Korea starting on the 29th.

Gen. Brunson posted on Facebook that afternoon, stating, “Today, I walked through the Joint Security Area (JSA) within the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom with Chancellor Merz.” He added, “Post-war medical support from Germany greatly aided the recovery of the South Korean people. As the 18th member nation of the U.N. Command, Germany continues to uphold its legacy.” The commander of USFK concurrently serves as the U.N. Command chief.

Gen. Brunson expressed pride in introducing the U.N. Command’s mission and team to Chancellor Merz, noting, “Two German soldiers are currently serving in our command headquarters, carrying out their duties by our side every day.” He continued, “It was deeply meaningful for Chancellor Merz to visit this site and reaffirm our partnership.”

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