Seoul: The defense ministry on Thursday highlighted its unwavering efforts to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington as a pivotal policy achievement during the first year of President Lee Jae Myung's administration. This initiative is seen as a significant step in enhancing South Korea's military autonomy and strategic capabilities.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea is actively pursuing the OPCON transfer in a timely manner, with the allies currently engaged in the second stage of verifying "full operational capability (FOC)" this year. This verification is part of a comprehensive three-phase program designed to assess Seoul's ability to lead the combined forces of South Korea and the United States.
The ministry emphasized its commitment to restoring wartime operational control through a systematic and stable approach, aiming to establish a combined defense posture spearheaded by the South Korean military. This effort is crucial for ensuring a robust and self-reliant defense strategy.
The verification process for the FOC represents the second phase of the program, which began with the completion of the initial operational capability (IOC) phase in 2019. The final phase will assess the full mission capability necessary for Seoul to lead the allies' combined forces effectively.
In addition to the OPCON transfer, the government is working on a roadmap to accelerate this transition in collaboration with Washington. This roadmap is expected to be a focal point of discussion during the upcoming annual defense ministerial meeting scheduled for this fall. Although the allies aimed to finalize the roadmap during last month's Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue in Washington, they could not reach a consensus.
Furthermore, the ministry is focused on establishing permanent combined component commands to strengthen the joint defense posture following the OPCON transfer. This initiative underscores the commitment to a seamless and fortified defense alliance between South Korea and the United States.