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

South Korea and the United States committed to bolstering their alliance to speed up the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul during high-level defense discussions, according to a joint statement released Friday. The allies convened for the 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) in Busan, South Korea, from Wednesday to Friday, as President Lee Jae Myung's administration aims to reclaim OPCON control before the end of its term in 2030.

Both nations reviewed efforts to modernize the partnership amidst a shifting security landscape, stating in the statement. They also assessed advancements on the Conditions-based Wartime Operational Control Transition Plan and affirmed their determination to enhance cooperation to expedite the OPCON transfer. Seoul and Washington have been diligently working towards this goal since agreeing to it in October 2014.

The conditions for the transfer encompass South Korea's capacity to lead combined U.S.-South Korean forces, its strike and air defense capabilities, and a stable regional security environment.