S. Korea, U.S. vow to strengthen cooperation to accelerate wartime OPCON transition in defense talks

Korea and the United States have committed to bolstering their collaboration to expedite the shift of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, according to a joint declaration issued on Friday. Senior-level defense discussions, known as the 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD), took place in Busan, South Korea, from Wednesday to Friday.

President Lee Jae Myung's administration aims to regain wartime OPCON before the 2030 expiration of its term. Both nations reviewed efforts to modernize the alliance amidst a shifting security landscape, as stated in the declaration. They also assessed advancements on the Conditions-based Wartime Operational Control Transition Plan and affirmed their commitment to intensify cooperation to hasten the OPCON transfer.

The conditions for this transfer encompass Korea's readiness to lead joint U.S.-Korea forces, its offensive and defensive strike capabilities, and a regional security context conducive to such an arrangement. Cooperation between Seoul and Washington has been ongoing since they initially agreed to the conditions-based OPCON transfer in October 2014.