Seoul pushes back against US signal for OPCON transfer delay

The South Korean military has maintained its commitment to existing agreements regarding conditions for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States to South Korea, despite warnings from the top U.S. commander in Korea, Gen. Xavier Brunson. In his remarks, Brunson suggested that evolving security threats necessitate new standards for the transition, implying that the existing standards make the transfer "impossible."

However, the South Korean military has not decided whether to accept any new conditions proposed by the U.S., emphasizing that the principle of OPCON transfer upon mutual agreement between the two nations remains unchanged. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul acknowledged Seoul's previous communication of concerns to the U.S. side regarding Brunson's remarks, as reported by Rep. Son Sol during a National Assembly audit.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.