President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday identified the recovery of wartime operational control (OPCON) and the transition to an artificial intelligence (AI)-based military as core tasks of "self-reliant defense," signaling his intent to accelerate the construction of a future-oriented defense system.
When Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back expressed confidence by stating, "Even if OPCON were recovered tomorrow, there would be no major problems," President Lee stressed, "It should not be 'no major problems,' but 'no problems at all,'" revealing his determination to ensure a flawless OPCON transfer.
At the first Future Defense Strategy Committee meeting held at the Submarine Force Command in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, President Lee received briefings on plans to develop a nuclear-powered submarine, along with reports on OPCON recovery and the transition to an AI-based unmanned combat system. He repeatedly emphasized that "we must move toward self-reliant defense and advanced defense."
"There is still much dependent thinking remaining in the defense sector," President Lee said. "There should be no disagreement on the principle of defending ourselves with our own strength."
In his briefing, Minister Ahn explained, "Among more than 190 countries worldwide, Korea is the only one without OPCON," adding, "Among the 36 countries with alliances with the United States, only the Republic of Korea does not hold OPCON." He continued, "Our military is working to secure most of the necessary capabilities at an early stage through measures such as increasing the defense budget. Once the second-stage verification is completed this year, we will enter the final phase of OPCON recovery."
The OPCON transition proceeds under the Conditions-based OPCON Transition Plan (COTP), through which the conditions agreed upon by Korea and the United States are assessed and verified in stages. The framework consists of a three-stage evaluation system: Initial Operational Capability (IOC), Full Operational Capability (FOC), and Full Mission Capability (FMC). Korea and the U.S. completed the FOC assessment in 2022 and are currently conducting follow-up verification procedures.
Plans for the transition to an AI-based unmanned combat system were also unveiled. "Along with securing world-class technology for high-performance, medium- and large-sized unmanned aerial vehicles, we will create large-scale public demand through the cultivation of '500,000 drone warriors' and serve as a catalyst for the drone industry ecosystem," Minister Ahn said.
