S. Korea says conditions-based OPCON transfer 'never' possible if conditions keep changing

The transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to a South Korean-led command is crucial for bolstering self-reliance in national defense. Yet, the recent discord between Seoul and Washington over the Full Operational Capability (FOC) assessment underscores a key point: political will alone is insufficient to facilitate the transfer.

Korea needs to prove its capacity to coordinate combined operations, while the United States and South Korea must ensure that evolving operational demands do not create insurmountable hurdles.

The present disagreement centers on the prerequisites for the transfer. According to military insiders, the United States has deemed some FOC evaluation criteria, which were previously deemed satisfactory, to be inadequate under this year's standards. Washington contends that assessments must account for shifts in the battlefield landscape and advancements in military technology.

Seoul, on the other hand, insists that previously met conditions should remain applicable and that newly fulfilled requirements should be sufficient to finalize the assessment. This disparity has generated irritation among both nations.