Seoul:The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to a conditions-based transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea, as stated by a ruling party lawmaker. Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party, who chairs the parliamentary defense committee, made these remarks during a press conference after returning from a five-day trip to the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii last week.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Rep. Jin highlighted that the existing agreement between South Korea and the United States remains unchanged, and the conditions for the transfer have not been altered. He noted that U.S. officials acknowledged that "policy-related factors" could influence the transfer, but the current agreement on a conditions-based transition remains intact.
Rep. Jin also addressed the decision to postpone the South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) until next year, emphasizing that it was unrelated to any disputes between the allies concerning the OPCON transfer. The delay was attributed solely to scheduling issues.
Historically, South Korea handed over OPCON to the U.S.-led U.N. Command during the 1950-53 Korean War, and it was later transferred to the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command when it was established in 1978. While Seoul regained peacetime OPCON in 1994, wartime OPCON continues to be managed by the United States.
President Lee Jae Myung's administration is aiming to regain wartime OPCON before the end of its term in 2030, or potentially earlier. During his visit, Rep. Jin and his delegation engaged with the U.S. Pacific commander and other military leaders to discuss enhancing bilateral security cooperation and the future of the alliance.