Lt. Gen. Derek Macaulay, a Canadian three-star Army general, has assumed office as the new Deputy commander of the United Nations Command (UNC), underscoring the multinational command’s role in advancing peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The Canadian succeeded British Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison during a recent change of responsibility ceremony at the UNC headquarters in Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, around 60 kilometers south of Seoul.
The leader of the UNC is a four-star U.S. general, currently Gen. Paul LaCamera, who also heads the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea.
During the ceremony, Macaulay said: “It is clear we must continue to work together in unity to support our Commander, Gen. LaCamera, in order to foster collaboration, resilience and understanding among member states in upholding peace and harmony on the Korean Peninsula.
“We can contribute together to a legacy of peace and cooperation that reflects the enduring values of South Korea and the UNC Member states.”
This marks the second time a Canadian general has been appointed to the position since 2018.
Gen. Wayne Eyre, Canada’s current chief of defense staff, served as the UNC deputy chief between 2018 to 2019. He was the first non-American to serve in the position at the United States-led command.
The UNC was established in July 1950 under the U.N. mandate to support South Korea against North Korea’s aggression and it currently oversees the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
The UNC member states are the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, the Netherlands, Colombia, Greece, New Zealand, Belgium, France, South Africa, Norway, Denmark and Italy.
