SEOUL, June 14 (AJP) -South Korea and the United States will propose a target year for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to their presidents by the end of this year, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Sunday, signaling fresh momentum behind President Lee Jae Myung's goal of regaining command authority during his term.
Speaking in an interview with KBS, Ahn said the allies will discuss verification of Full Operational Capability (FOC) at the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in November before recommending a timeline for the transfer.
"Discussions on FOC verification will take place with the U.S. defense secretary at the SCM in November, and based on that a proposal will be made to both presidents," Ahn said. "Then the target year for wartime OPCON recovery will be decided."
The remarks suggest that Seoul and Washington could establish a formal roadmap for the transfer before the end of 2026, a key step in one of the alliance's longest-running defense issues.
Lee's administration has made the recovery of wartime OPCON a major policy objective and is seeking to complete the process before his term ends in 2030.
South Korea transferred wartime command authority to the U.S.-led United Nations Command during the 1950-53 Korean War. Operational control later shifted to the Combined Forces Command when it was established in 1978. Seoul regained peacetime OPCON in 1994, but wartime command remains under a U.S. general.
The allies are currently conducting a three-stage assessment of South Korea's ability to lead the future combined command structure, consisting of Initial Operational Capability (IOC), Full Operational Capability (FOC) and Full Mission Capability (FMC).
Defense officials note that the final FMC phase is largely a political and strategic assessment rather than a technical one, raising the possibility that the transfer could occur sooner than previously expected.
Seoul is believed to favor a transfer around 2028, or earlier if conditions permit, while Washington has generally taken a more cautious position. U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said in April that alliance conditions for the transfer could be met by the first quarter of 2029.
Asked whether differences remain between the allies on timing, Ahn acknowledged that views do not always align.
"Even spouses have different opinions, so how can countries have identical opinions on the issue of wartime OPCON," he said, adding that Seoul and Washington are maintaining close consultations to narrow any gaps.
Ahn also questioned whether conditions established years ago for the transfer adequately reflect the rapidly changing nature of modern warfare.
"New weapons emerge every day and the battlefield changes constantly," he said. "Our capabilities are sufficient."
The minister emphasized that South Korea has faithfully conducted capability assessments under the allies' condition-based OPCON transition framework and argued that future adjustments should be discussed after the transfer is completed.
Separately, Ahn said Seoul is accelerating plans to build a nuclear-powered submarine under the indigenous Jangbogo-N program, with the goal of launching the first vessel in the mid-2030s.
"South Korea possesses all the necessary technologies, including submarine and nuclear technologies," he said. "The only thing we lack is nuclear fuel."
Ahn said Seoul hopes to secure U.S. cooperation for low-enriched uranium fuel enriched to less than 20 percent.
While no formal agreement has yet been reached with Washington, he stressed that South Korea's position remains unchanged.
"Our consistent position is that the submarine should be built domestically using Korean technology," Ahn said. "The U.S. side understands that position."
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