“During your lifetime, there’s going to be some sort of shooting war between the Chinese and the Americans,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) In-Bum Chun to a room of more than 40 University of North Georgia students on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
Chun warned Corps of Cadets students to “prepare for a new and different type of war” against China, North Korea and Russia. He is a former South Korean military leader who served in the Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, the Korean Special Warfare Command, the ROK Army Chief of Staff Office and the First ROK Army.
According to Chun, China plans to overtake Taiwan, North Korea plans to overtake South Korea and Russia is trying to gain control over Ukraine. He said China, North Korea and Russia are working together to accomplish these goals.
“[North Korea] is making bigger drones and new rifles. They’re developing a huge [intercontinental ballistic missile]…Their goal is to strike the United States,” said Chun.
“North Korea thinks that once they have an ICBM that can target Washington D.C., New York and Atlanta, that the Americans, being the cowards they are, will withdraw from South Korea. Then [North Korea] can take over South Korea,” he predicted.
According to Chun, North Korea already has the weaponry to do so. Now, he said, they only need Russia’s help with missile targeting and reentry.
“The real question is, ‘How will Korea be unified? By a dominant North Korea or South Korea?’ Heaven forbid it’s North Korea,” said Chun.
He warned the U.S. military not to underestimate North Korea’s military strength, suggesting that its forces are far more capable than many Western analysts believe. He pointed to reports of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where he said they helped regain the Kursk region from Ukrainian control in April 2025.
According to Chun, only two North Korean soldiers have been captured by the Ukrainian military since the conflict began in 2022. He said others have evaded capture by committing suicide.
“The soldier puts his grenade under his chin and blows himself up,” Chun said. “While he’s doing that, he does not ask for mom or dad or God. Instead, he says, ‘Long live the Great Leader.’ That’s the level of indoctrination [the U.S. will be fighting against].”
Still, Chun believes the U.S. has the potential to win a war against North Korea.
“Despite all that, [North Korea] is brittle, and they can’t stand the truth,” he said. “They’re so afraid of the truth that they have buttoned down, they’ve closed their borders and they’re not allowing information to come in.”
He said that exposure to any deviation from North Korean norms, however small, could be enough to turn the people against Kim Jong Un.
“If K-pop Demon Hunters ever got into that country, it would be the end of Kim Jong Un, because…the same soldier who’s willing to blow his head off – one hot coffee, one good meal and a video of K-pop Demon Hunters will break 25 years of brainwashing,” he said.
According to Chun, in just the past four months, three North Koreans have defected and sought refuge in South Korea.
He also believes the U.S. military is tactically capable of defeating an “overly confident” North Korean, Russian and Chinese alliance.
“[North Korea, China and Russia] are underestimating Americans. That’s a good thing,” said Chun. “I don’t think they realize how many guns are in the United States and the way that you guys are.”
“Americans…can’t march in step. The only thing that they’re good for is winning wars,” he said. “Americans are so chaotic, and war is chaos, so it’s just normal…You Americans, you make a plan, but we all know the plan won’t work. Instead of trying to make it work, what you’ll do is improvise. That’s why you will always win.”
When asked how the U.S. military could better prepare to face North Korea, China and Russia in combat, Chun critiqued its alleged moral constraints.
“The way that your politicians treat your military is just ridiculous,” Chun said. “Human rights is for [your allies], not your enemies. I say shoot to kill.”
Chun also urged the U.S. “take a closer look” at its alliance with South Korea as it reassesses its global relationships, calling South Korea “the most reliable” ally America has.
He spoke during a presentation titled “Is War Imminent: Assessing the danger of Conflict on the Korean Peninsula.” The event was part of the UNG Security and Strategic Studies Program Speaker Series, hosted by the Department of Political Science and International Affairs.
“We have hosted diplomatic representatives from all continents, in person and online,” said Associate Professor & Associate Department Head Raluca Viman-Miller. “The main idea is to give our students the opportunity to interact with specialists in domains where they might be headed in their careers and to stay informed on relevant international issues.”
The next event in the series will take place on Nov. 4 at UNG’s Gainesville campus. It is titled “From Dreams to Degrees” and will feature a panel of Latina alumni discussing the importance of higher education.
