Seoul: Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul said Thursday he will pursue the transition of wartime operational command (OPCON) from Washington in a way that will strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kang, who previously served as the deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, emphasized his commitment to ensuring that the OPCON transfer enhances the bilateral relationship. This statement comes as Seoul is eager to regain wartime command before President Lee Jae Myung's term concludes in 2030. The transition plan is currently in its second phase, focusing on verifying the combined forces' full operational capability (FOC), with the goal of completing the FOC assessment by the end of the year.
"We will pursue the transition of OPCON in a way that will strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance," Kang stated, addressing reporters while on his way to prepare for a parliamentary confirmation hearing. South Korea is hopeful to establish a target year for the OPCON handover during the annual Security Consultative Meeting with the U.S. defense chiefs this fall.
Kang's nomination follows a recent Cabinet reshuffle, where he was selected to succeed Ahn Gyu-back as the defense minister. Ahn has been serving as the first civilian defense chief under President Lee's administration. Before his nomination, Kang was serving as South Korea's ambassador to Saudi Arabia.