South Korea Defense Chief to Propose Wartime OPCON Transfer Target Year

South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back is set to propose a specific target year for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) back from the United States. This proposal is intended for both President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump by the end of the current year. The regaining of OPCON is a central policy objective for President Lee Jae Myung's administration, with the administration aiming to achieve this transfer before the end of his term in 2030. This move signifies South Korea's ambition to assume greater responsibility for its own defense.

In parallel, a separate investigation is underway concerning issues that arose during the June 3 local elections in South Korea. Police and prosecutors are preparing to question officials from the National Election Commission (NEC). The focus of this questioning is the shortage of ballots that occurred during the elections, which led to temporary halts in voting. This investigation was prompted by an earlier raid on NEC servers, and its objective is to determine whether NEC officials engaged in undue influence or mishandled the situation regarding the ballot shortages.