WASHINGTON -- US Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Paul LaCamera congratulated South Korean President-elect Yoon Seok-yul Thursday, saying he looks forward to working with the incoming administration to further strengthen the US-South Korea alliance.

Yoon was elected president Wednesday (Seoul time).

"It has been an honor to work with the Moon administration," said LaCamera, referring to South Korea's outgoing administration of Moon Jae-in.

"Congratulations to President-elect Yoon. We look forward to working with his administration to strengthen the US-ROK alliance and take on regional challenges," he added during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

Yoon, a former prosecutor-general, had vowed to take a tougher stance on North Korea if elected.

LaCamera said working with the new South Korean administration seemed "promising."

"It seems very promising, everything what we've seen on the conservative side and his approach, and focus on defense. And now we'll have to figure out, see what it looks like in execution," he said when asked if he expected any changes to the US-South Korea relationship under the new South Korean government.

The US Army general highlighted "multiple threats" North Korea poses to regional and international security.

"The DPRK's recent missile launches validate this observation," he said in written testimony submitted to the committee.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

Pyongyang staged nine rounds of missile launches so far this year, including two test firings of a hypersonic glide vehicle and the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Adm. John Aquilino, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, said the North's nuclear and ballistic missile threats aim to preserve its regime while securing diplomatic concessions.

"Of particular concern is apparent advancements in maneuvering capabilities and claims of achieving hypersonic velocities. These attributes would complicate defensive actions against the DPRK's small but probably growing long-range strike capabilities," Aquilino said in his written testimony.

LaCamera underscored the need to resume large-scale US-South Korea joint field exercises.

"Yes, my preference is to do as much training as possible, at all echelons," he said when asked if he would prefer resuming large-scale military drills with South Korean forces.

Seoul and Washington began reducing or suspending their joint military drills in 2018 amid inter-Korean dialogue and US-North Korea diplomacy.

The allies have also been forced to suspend large-scale exercises in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LaCamera argued North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may in fact be engaged in a charm offensive to stop the countries' joint military drills.

"(He is) in the information space, trying to get us to cancel those exercises and potentially reduce our readiness works in his favor, and he doesn't have to expend any energy," the USFK chief said.

North Korea periodically denounces US-South Korea joint military drills as war rehearsals. (Yonhap)