USFK commander says wartime OPCON transfer conditions targeted by early 2029

[Photo = Screenshot from the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee website]

Xavier Brunson, commander of the Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, said on April 22 (local time) that the allies have submitted a roadmap to the Defense Department aimed at meeting the conditions for transferring wartime operational control before the second quarter of fiscal 2029, which corresponds to the first quarter of 2029 in South Korea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Brunson made the remarks while testifying before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, responding to a question from committee Chairman Mike Rogers, a Republican, about preparations for the OPCON transfer.

The U.S. government’s fiscal 2029 runs from Oct. 1, 2028, to Sept. 30, 2029. The second quarter of fiscal 2029 covers January through March 2029.

Brunson’s comments suggest a timetable to satisfy the conditions for the transfer no later than the first quarter of 2029. President Lee Jae-myung has said he aims to achieve the transfer during his term.

The first quarter of 2029 overlaps with the end of President Donald Trump’s term, which runs through Jan. 20 that year, and the start of the next U.S. president’s term. The U.S. side may have drafted the roadmap with the possibility in mind that meeting the conditions could carry over into the next administration.

Brunson said the allies would continue pursuing a conditions-based transfer and ensure all requirements are met.

* This article has been translated by AI.

JEONG SE HEE ssss308@ajunews.com