Kang Shin-cheol, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, stated on September 11, "Even if wartime operational control is returned tomorrow, there will be no significant issues in our ability to defend ourselves." He expressed agreement with comments made by Minister of National Defense An Gyu-baek during a Future Defense Strategy Committee meeting on May 26.
According to Yonhap News, Kang made these remarks in a written response to a question from Yoo Yong-won, a member of the ruling People Power Party. He emphasized, "Mutual trust in the Korea-U.S. alliance must be guaranteed."
Kang also noted, "There is not a significant difference in positions between South Korea and the United States regarding the timing of the transfer of wartime operational control," adding that he has been informed that close consultations have been held through high-level discussions. He stated that if he is appointed as minister, he will push for the transfer of wartime operational control in a manner that further strengthens the Korea-U.S. alliance and joint defense posture.
In particular, Kang highlighted, "U.S. forces in South Korea have maintained a strong joint defense posture with our military, contributing to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region," and he pledged to continue collaborating with the U.S. to ensure this direction continues. This comes as the U.S. appears to be shifting its focus from conventional defense against North Korea to countering China by delegating conventional defense responsibilities to South Korea.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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