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During a surprise summit in New York, President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea met with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the transfer of wartime operational control, or OPCON, of Korean forces from Washington to Seoul. This was the first time that the issue had been raised between the two leaders, according to a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae.

The 30-minute summit took place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, where both leaders delivered speeches. The official said that President Lee spent a significant amount of time explaining Korea's position on the transfer, and that President Trump demonstrated a deep understanding of the issue.

The South Korean administration has been pushing for the transfer of OPCON by 2028 or even 2027, if possible. However, U.S. military officials have stated that necessary conditions would not be met until the first quarter of 2029. During the summit, President Lee outlined Korea's efforts to bolster its own defense capabilities, including plans to increase defense spending. He also reaffirmed Korea's willingness to take on greater responsibility for defense.