Key facts
- South Korea is seeking to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from the U.S. without additional conditions.
- Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul stated that bilateral consultations with the U.S. are based on the 'no additional conditions' principle.
- Seoul aims to regain OPCON before the current administration's five-year term ends in 2030, possibly next year.
- The U.S. retains wartime OPCON, which was originally slated for transfer by April 2012.
- Kang believes the gap between Seoul and Washington on the OPCON transition timeline is not significant.
- Kang supports the view that South Korea has sufficient defense capabilities to handle an immediate OPCON transfer, provided mutual trust in the alliance is guaranteed.
South Korea is actively pursuing the retake of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States, with Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul emphasizing a firm principle of "no additional conditions" attached to the transfer. Kang stated in written responses ahead of his confirmation hearing that bilateral consultations with the U.S. are proceeding on this basis. Seoul aims to achieve this transfer before the current administration's five-year term concludes in 2030, with a possibility of it occurring as early as next year.
South Korea previously regained peacetime OPCON in 1994, but the U.S. has maintained wartime OPCON. An initial agreement in 2007 to transfer wartime OPCON by April 2012 has been repeatedly postponed, largely due to North Korea's advancements in its nuclear and missile programs. The allies agreed to a "conditions-based" transition plan in October 2014, requiring South Korea to lead the future combined command, secure key strike capabilities, and ensure a conducive regional security environment for the handover.
Despite these efforts, a divergence in timelines between Seoul and Washington has emerged, with indications that the U.S. military harbors reservations about accelerating the transition. The U.S. Senate proposed a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act in June that would mandate regular reports to Congress on the OPCON transfer road map. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, has also highlighted the importance of military readiness over political expediency in the process.
Kang, however, downplayed the perceived gap, stating that consultations have been close and the divergence is not significant. He expressed his commitment to ensuring thorough preparations for the "full operational capability (FOC)" certification of the future Combined Forces Command (CFC) at the upcoming Security Consultative Meeting (SCM). Kang also concurred with outgoing Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back's assessment that South Korea possesses sufficient defense capabilities to manage OPCON independently, provided mutual trust in the alliance is maintained.
Kang also addressed other defense-related issues, calling for "mutual efforts" to balance the U.N. Command's authority with South Korea's sovereignty regarding the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). He affirmed that South Korea's adversary is the "North Korean regime and its military," and expressed support for merging military academies to cultivate shared capabilities essential for future command responsibilities.