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South Korea's upcoming defense minister, Kang Shin-chul, has affirmed his intention to reclaim operational control (OPCON) from the United States, adhering to a strict condition that no additional prerequisites will be imposed. The nominee, a retired four-star general and former deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), made this declaration in written responses to a lawmaker.

Seoul aims to regain OPCON before the end of the current administration's five-year term in 2030. Currently, the U.S. retains wartime OPCON, which was originally scheduled to be transferred in April 2012 but has been repeatedly postponed due to North Korea's nuclear and missile advancements. A conditions-based OPCON transition plan was agreed upon in October 2014, which requires South Korea to lead the combined command and secure key strike capabilities.

However, the U.S. and South Korea have differing views on the timeline for OPCON transfer. Kang dismissed concerns about the perceived gap between Seoul and Washington, stating that the two sides have been consulting closely through high-level channels. He emphasized the importance of thorough preparations to achieve full operational capability (FOC) certification of the future Combined Forces Command (CFC) and announced the target year at the upcoming Security Consultative Meeting (SCM).

Kang also expressed support for the outgoing Defense Minister's view that South Korea has adequate defense capabilities to handle an immediate OPCON transfer, while stressing the need for mutual trust in the alliance.