President reaffirms push to reclaim wartime OPCON by 2028
President Lee Jae Myung on Monday reaffirmed his commitment to regaining wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States by 2028, calling it essential to South Korea’s sovereignty. Speaking before reporters to mark his administration’s 500th day in office, Lee expressed confidence in the country’s defense capabilities and positively assessed talks with Washington on the handover. “To…
On the 500th day of his administration, President Lee Jae Myung reiterated his determination to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States by 2028. He emphasized the importance of this move to South Korea's sovereignty during a press conference. Lee expressed confidence in the nation's defense capabilities and positively assessed the ongoing talks with Washington regarding the transfer.
He stated, "To put it plainly, we must reclaim OPCON at an early date, and we are fully capable of doing so." The president's reference to 2028 arises as questions remain about the handover schedule. U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson had previously laid out a roadmap for achieving the OPCON transfer conditions by the first quarter of 2029 during a hearing before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on April 22.
Brunson's more recent comments have further fueled uncertainty about Seoul's preferred timeline, as changes in operational plans have led to new standards.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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