Seoul: South Korea and the United States continue joint efforts to "make progress" toward the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul, a Pentagon official said Friday, indicating that discussions on the major alliance issue are ongoing.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the official highlighted ongoing collaboration between the U.S. and South Korea, known as the Republic of Korea (ROK), to advance the OPCON transition. This initiative has gained momentum with the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who seeks to regain control amidst calls from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration for allies to bear a greater security burden and focus on deterring threats from China.

The Pentagon official emphasized that there is currently no announcement regarding the timeline or further details of the OPCON transition. The transfer is based on specific conditions, such as South Korea's capability to lead combined Korea-U.S. forces, its strike and air defense proficiency, and a favorable regional security environment.

Seoul and Washington have been engaged in detailed planning for the conditions-based OPCON transfer. Elbridge Colby, under secretary of defense for policy, expressed support for the swift transition during an interview with Yonhap News Agency in May of the previous year, underscoring the importance of South Korea assuming greater responsibility for its defense.

Historically, South Korea relinquished operational control of its troops to the U.S.-led U.N. Command during the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. Control was then transferred to the Combined Forces Command of both nations in 1978. While peacetime OPCON was returned to South Korea in 1994, wartime operational control remains under U.S. authority.

The OPCON transition was initially planned for 2015 but was delayed following a 2014 agreement to adopt a conditions-based handover approach due to escalating nuclear and missile threats from Pyongyang.