South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says South Korea must reclaim wartime operational control (OPCON) at an early date. Speaking to reporters at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Monday, Lee frames the transfer of command from the United States as essential to South Korea’s sovereignty, and says the country is capable of taking responsibility for its own defense.
Lee acknowledges the difficulty of changing an operational command arrangement that has been in place for more than seven decades. He adds that consultations between South Korea and the United States are generally progressing well toward returning wartime OPCON. Commenting on remarks by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson regarding conditions for the handover, Lee says differing views could emerge but emphasizes that South Korea should assess its own defense capabilities as part of the process.
