Seoul cautious on OPCON transfer as US moves to restore restriction

The South Korean government said it is reassessing the conditions for reclaiming wartime operational control (OPCPN) of its forces from the U.S., noting that the timeline for the handover will hinge on future developments. While the transfer remains a central pledge of President Lee Jae Myung, officials acknowledged that no new talks are currently underway, and coordination with Washington is expected to continue. During a press briefing Sunday, the State Affairs Planning Committee announced that the administration is currently evaluating whether the conditions necessary for the transfer have been met. “The agreement states that the transfer should take place once certain benchmarks have been met. This government is now evaluating those benchmarks,” said Jo Seoung-lae, the committee’s spokesperson. “We will decide on the pace based on our assessment. This is the position of not only the committee, but also the presidential office and the Ministry of National Defense,” he added. Reiterating the administration’s intention to pursue the transfer, the committee’s chairperson LWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times