Why Lee is pushing to regain wartime OPCON within his term
President Lee Jae Myung is repeatedly calling for South Korea to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States within his term, with analysts saying the push reflects a sense of urgency to accomplish a long-standing liberal goal that has remained unfulfilled. The analysts added that Lee’s push could gain momentum from U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to scale back…
President Lee Jae Myung is pressing for South Korea to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States during his presidency, according to sources. This push is driven by a desire to fulfill a longstanding liberal objective that has been stalled. Analysts note that Lee's push may be bolstered by U.S. President Donald Trump's intent to reduce Washington's military and financial commitments in South Korea, providing Seoul with a unique chance to fulfill this goal.
At a recent Cabinet meeting, Lee reiterated his commitment to completing the transfer within his five-year term, which expires in 2030. He aims to achieve this by the end of 2028 or even earlier, potentially as early as 2027. This discussion is expected to be part of a Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) with the U.S. scheduled for October.
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- Why Lee is pushing to regain wartime OPCON within his term koreatimes.co.kr
