Seoul:<Text>

South Korea and the United States aim to meet the conditions required for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul no later than the first quarter of 2029, stated the top U.S. general in South Korea during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington. This strategic move is being pursued by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration, which seeks to regain wartime OPCON from the U.S. before its current term ends in 2030.

According to Yonhap News Agency, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Xavier Brunson highlighted that the OPCON transition is conditions-based. The criteria involve South Korea's capabilities to lead combined Korea-U.S. forces, its strike and air defense capabilities, and a regional security environment suitable for such a handover. Gen. Brunson mentioned that a roadmap has been delivered to the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW), aiming to complete the transition by the second quarter of fiscal year 20 29, which runs from October 1, 2028, through September 30, 2029, in the U.S.

The general emphasized the importance of fulfilling all the necessary conditions for the OPCON transfer. He reiterated during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that "political expediency does not outpace the conditions" for the transfer, underscoring the need to satisfy all military requirements for the handover.

Seoul and Washington plan to discuss the conditions for the transfer during key high-level meetings, such as the upcoming Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue and the ministerial Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) scheduled to take place in Washington in early fall. Brunson noted that the allies are well-positioned for the transition due to South Korea's defense investments and plans to increase its military spending by about 8.5 percent over the next three fiscal years.

During the SCM in November, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Sec retary Pete Hegseth agreed to develop a roadmap to expedite the implementation of conditions for the transfer. If the transfer occurs, a four-star South Korean general will lead the combined forces in wartime, with a four-star U.S. general playing a supporting role.

The transfer of OPCON has its historical roots dating back to the Korean War when South Korean President Syngman Rhee transferred "command authority" to Gen. Douglas MacArthur, commander of the U.S.-led U.N. Command, on July 14, 1950. The authority was later changed to operational control, and South Korea regained peacetime OPCON in 1994, while the U.S. retained wartime OPCON.

The OPCON transition has been a topic of discussion since 2007, with the initial agreement to transfer control by April 2012. However, due to escalated threats from North Korea, the transfer was postponed, and in 2014, a conditions-based transition without a specific target date was agreed upon. The process has gained renewed attention as both countries work to modernize their alliance amid calls for increased "burden sharing" and greater security responsibilities.