I am an editorial writer at The Korea Times, focusing on foreign policy, North Korea and domestic politics. My key areas of interest include North Korea, foreign interference in elections, election integrity, cyberattacks and human rights. Prior to joining the Editorial Board, I served as both Politics Desk editor and Culture Desk editor. During my career, I have reported on the Presidential Office under the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly.
Korea rethinking transfer of wartime control
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff reporter
Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said Thursday that North Korea's second underground nuclear test last year was a tipping point prompting Seoul to rethink the scheduled transfer of operational wartime control of its armed forces.
Yu, however, said that it was not clear at the moment whether the transfer of wartime command control will be discussed during the South Korea-U.S. summit to be held Sunday on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Toronto, Canada.
A ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity that what the minister meant by the remarks was that Seoul alone began rethinking the schedule of the transfer of operational control.
He further clarified that Minister Yu didn't mean that Seoul had already discussed the matter with the U.S. government.
"It would be fair to say that North Korea's second nuclear test after U.S. President Barack Obama's inauguration prompted the rethinking of the scheduled transfer of wartime command control," Yu told reporters at the ministry.
South Korea is scheduled to retake wartime command of its troops from the United States on April 17, 2012.
Previously, there were media reports saying that the two sides discussed or agreed to a delay of the transfer.
The reports came after a series of North Korean provocative acts, including test-firing of missiles and a second nuclear test. Seoul and Washington denied the reports.
Minister Yu's remarks regarding the command transfer came after a news report that President Lee Myung-bak will discuss with President Obama the issue during the summit in Toronto.
But the minister said the issue has not been confirmed as being on the summit agenda.