Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, who departed for the United States on Monday, said regarding the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) that "I do not think there is any significant problem with accelerating the OPCON transfer."
Meeting with reporters at Incheon International Airport before his departure, Ahn said, "Korean and U.S. authorities made considerable progress in 2015 under a conditions-based agreement on the OPCON transfer," adding that "we have been preparing systematically, stably and consistently." At the 47th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in 2015, the two countries agreed on the Conditions-based OPCON Transition Plan (COTP) and have been pursuing the transfer since then.
Ahn noted that Seoul and Washington agreed at last year's 57th SCM to finalize the target year for the OPCON transfer at this year's SCM, saying, "That is also one of the key agenda items of this visit."
The government has reportedly been pursuing a plan to set 2028 as the target year, obtaining approval from the Korean and U.S. defense ministers at the October SCM, after completing the second stage of the evaluation and verification process for the OPCON transfer — the Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification for the Future Combined Forces Command.
However, a gap in perception emerged recently when Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, cited the first quarter of 2029 as the target date for meeting the conditions for OPCON transfer during a U.S. congressional hearing.
Regarding cooperation on building nuclear-powered submarines, Ahn said, "Because this is a matter agreed upon by the leaders of both countries as a major premise, implementing the follow-up measures is extremely important," adding, "I plan to discuss and achieve the implementation of the commitments and the mutual cooperation between Korea and the U.S. once again."
In particular, on the possibility of launching the first round of negotiations within the first half of the year, he said, "Of course," stressing, "I believe that no matter what difficulties arise, this is an issue that must be resolved between the Korean and U.S. military authorities."
Ahn is scheduled to hold talks with U.S. Defense (War) Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday (local time) and meet with U.S. government and congressional figures, including the acting Secretary of the Navy, the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee.
