Gen. Vincent K. Brooks -- commander of United States Forces Korea, Combined Forces Command and United Nations Command -- was bestowed a Korean name last week at a ceremony in a show of appreciation for his commitment to strengthening fraternity between the defense forces of the US and Korea.

At the venue Friday organized by the ROK-US Alliance Friendship Association, the top commander was given a plaque and a scroll displaying his new name: “Park Yu-jong.”

The last name “Park” comes from Park Je-ga (1750-1805), a renowned Joseon era (1392-1897) scholar of realist Confucianism, while his first name symbolizes a person capable of making virtuous connections as well as competently leading others, according to the USFK public affairs office.

Gen. Brooks was also awarded an honorary taekwondo black belt. 

The general said at the venue he was “deeply humbled to be granted a Korean name” and the bestowal was “symbolic of the deep connection between Korea and the United States.” He added that the endowment of the honorary black belt was a reminder of the Korean people’s generosity.

Korean names have been previously conferred to former commanders of the USFK, 7th Air Force, 8th United States Army and other top American government officials, including US President Barack Obama and former US Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

Obama was named “O Han-ma,” Gates “Ge Eui-chi,” current US presidential Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton “Han Hee-sook” and former US Ambassador to Korea Alexander R. Vershbow “Park Bo-woo,” among others.

The four-star general, who assumed his current post in March, succeeded Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, who is now Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations as well as commander of the United States European Command.

Brooks previously served as the commanding general of the United States Army Pacific and Third Army, and was the US Army’s Deputy Director of Operations during the war in Iraq.

He graduated from the West Point United States Military Academy in 1980 as the school’s first African-American Cadet First Captain, the highest position a cadet can hold as cadet brigade commander.

As part of President Obama’s “pivot to Asia” foreign policy directed at bolstering alliances with Asian countries, Brooks has reportedly envisioned an initiative called “Pacific Pathways,” which would rotate a single US Army unit on different deployments across Asia, enabling them to more speedily address humanitarian crises and security threats.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)