Seoul: Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Friday he will make the "utmost" efforts to ensure the country can retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn made the remarks after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently assessed South Korea's push to retake OPCON from Washington as a "great" endeavor. Ahn emphasized the importance of transitioning wartime operational control as swiftly as possible during the current administration's term. This will be achieved through close coordination between South Korea and the U.S., while maintaining a strong and steadfast alliance.
The transition of wartime operational control is a significant topic for both nations. South Korea handed over its OPCON during the 1950-53 Korean War and regained its peacetime OPCON in 1994, but wartime OPCON still remains under U.S. control. This issue is expected to be high on the agenda for the upcoming Security Consultative Meeting between the defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S., scheduled to take place in Seoul on Tuesday.
Ahn is also set to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. During the meeting, Ahn plans to discuss measures to cooperate on promoting regional peace and stability. On the sidelines of the forum, he will meet with his counterparts from Japan, China, Australia, and Thailand to further these discussions.