A Korean American has taken office as the chief of U.S. Forces Korea’s(USFK) 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command for the first time.

At an inauguration ceremony held at the U.S. Camp Walker base in the southeastern city of Daegu on Wednesday, Army Brig.-Gen. Jin Pak said he is proud to serve as a U.S. serviceman in South Korea for the Seoul-Washington alliance.

Pak anticipated forming friendships with local government officials and partners within the South Korean military.

Born in South Korea, Pak immigrated to the U.S. at the age of six. After graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in 1994, he was commissioned as an officer at a transport squadron.

Pak was previously deployed to combat regions of Bosnia and Afghanistan, and served in South Korea within the Combined Forces Command(CFC).