South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that the timing of the transfer of wartime operational control will be decided by the South Korean and U.S. defense chiefs at the Security Consultative Meeting, based on recommendations from the two militaries, and then submitted to the presidents of both countries.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na made the remarks at a regular briefing in response to a question about comments by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Xavier Brunson at a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing. Brunson said a roadmap had been submitted to the Pentagon to meet the required conditions before the second quarter of fiscal 2029 (the first quarter of 2029 by South Korean standards).
Jeong said the allies are pursuing the transfer “systematically, stably and consistently” under the “conditions-based OPCON transition plan” agreed in 2015, with the principle that the transfer will take place once mutually agreed conditions are met.
She said the ministry has designated this year as “the first year of the OPCON transfer” and is working to complete the transition as soon as possible. She added that Seoul is strengthening cooperation with Washington to complete verification of full operational capability, or FOC, this year and decide the transfer timing.
Assessment and verification for the transfer proceed in three stages: initial operational capability (IOC), full operational capability (FOC) and full mission capability (FMC). The FOC assessment has been completed and verification is underway.
The ministry said it held the first 2026 meeting to assess progress on the OPCON transfer on Jan. 28, chaired by Defense Minister Ahn. At the time, it said completing FOC verification this year was the key goal as it moves ahead with the transfer within the administration’s term.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na made the remarks at a regular briefing in response to a question about comments by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Xavier Brunson at a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing. Brunson said a roadmap had been submitted to the Pentagon to meet the required conditions before the second quarter of fiscal 2029 (the first quarter of 2029 by South Korean standards).
Jeong said the allies are pursuing the transfer “systematically, stably and consistently” under the “conditions-based OPCON transition plan” agreed in 2015, with the principle that the transfer will take place once mutually agreed conditions are met.
She said the ministry has designated this year as “the first year of the OPCON transfer” and is working to complete the transition as soon as possible. She added that Seoul is strengthening cooperation with Washington to complete verification of full operational capability, or FOC, this year and decide the transfer timing.
Assessment and verification for the transfer proceed in three stages: initial operational capability (IOC), full operational capability (FOC) and full mission capability (FMC). The FOC assessment has been completed and verification is underway.
The ministry said it held the first 2026 meeting to assess progress on the OPCON transfer on Jan. 28, chaired by Defense Minister Ahn. At the time, it said completing FOC verification this year was the key goal as it moves ahead with the transfer within the administration’s term.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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