President Reaffirms Push to Reclaim Wartime OPCON
Lee said South Korea is fully capable of leading allied forces as Seoul and Washington continue talks on a wartime command transfer.
- On Monday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed his commitment to reclaiming wartime operational control from the United States, calling the move essential to Korea's sovereignty.
- The United States has held command of combined forces, including about 28,500 troops, for 70 years since the two countries established the arrangement during the 1950-53 Korean War.
- At the Blue House, Lee asserted that South Korea is fully capable of managing its own defense, stating, "To put it plainly, we should take back wartime operation control at an early time."
- General Xavier Brunson noted the security environment has changed since requirements were established, though Lee stressed that South Korea must take responsibility for assessing its own defense capabilities.
- Lee aims to complete the command transfer before his five-year term ends in 2030, with South Korea favoring 2028 as the target year while the United States military roadmap targets early 2029.
10 Articles
10 Articles
Can South Korea Take Wartime Military Command From the US by 2030?
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says his country is ready to assume wartime operational control of combined South Korean and US forces, renewing a decades-long effort to place Seoul in charge of allied military operations during a conflict with North Korea. Speaking to reporters at the Blue House presidential compound on Monday, Lee said […]
Lee says S Korea capable of taking back wartime command of combined US forces
SEOUL, Oct 19 - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Monday the country is fully capable of taking back the wartime operational control of the combined forces with the US stationed in the country and talks with Washington for the change are progressing. Read more at straitstimes.com.
President Lee Jae-myung expressed his will to return the traditional system of war as soon as possible and emphasized the restoration of national sovereignty. It defines North Korea's nuclear weapons for defensive use rather than actual use, and is wary of political offensives by explaining disagreements between Korean and US intelligence agencies as a natural process for national interests.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporters Lim Hyeong-seop and Ko Dong-wook = On the 19th, regarding the issue of wartime operational control, President Lee Jae-myung stated, "We must definitely get it back promptly," adding, "Korea-U.S. consultations as well..."
On the 19th, President Lee Jae-myung stated, “Wartime Operational Control must be reclaimed at an early date, and we are fully capable of doing so,” adding that “consultations between South Korea and the U.S. are also progressing well, fundamentally leaning toward the return of control.” During a press conference at the Blue House that day, President Lee said, “One of the most core components of sovereignty is military sovereignty.
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