Defense minister nominee vows to seek OPCON transfer in way that strengthens S. Korea-U.S. alliance

SEOUL, September 3 (Yonhap) -- Kang Shin-chul, the defense minister nominee, has pledged to seek the transfer of wartime operational command (OPCOD) from the United States in a manner that bolsters the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Kang, who previously served as the deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, made this statement as Seoul aims to regain wartime command before President Lee Jae Myung's term ends in 2030.

The three-phase OPCON transition plan currently has the allies in the second stage of confirming the combined forces' full operational capability (FOC), with Seoul targeting the completion of the FOC assessment process within this year. Kang informed reporters on his way to a parliamentary confirmation hearing, expressing his intention to pursue the OPCON handover in a way that strengthens the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

The South Korean government has been striving to set a target year for the OPCON transfer at this year's annual Security Consultative Meeting between the allies' defense chiefs. Kang's appointment comes after a recent Cabinet reshuffle, where he was chosen as the new defense minister to succeed Ahn Gyu-back, the first civilian defense chief under the Lee administration. Currently, Kang holds the position of South Korea's ambassador to Saudi Arabia.