New defense chief stresses trust in push for OPCON transfer

By Bahk Eun-ji

• Published Sep 22, 2026 4:02 PM KST

Kang calls on North Korea to halt border fortification following DMZ blast

New Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Tuesday that he would push ahead with the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) based on trust between Korea and the United States, emphasizing that the process should strengthen their alliance and combined defense posture.

“OPCON transfer will move in a direction that strengthens the Korea-U.S. alliance,” Kang told reporters at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul shortly after officially beginning his duties.

He noted that successive Korean administrations and the two allies have worked toward the transfer for years, while acknowledging that the process cannot be driven by Seoul alone.

Because an alliance involves two sides, Kang said, the process may not always proceed exactly as one side wants, making mutual trust particularly important.

“In some ways, I believe trust is even more important than the conditions,” he said, pledging to pursue the transfer “without wavering” in a way that preserves trust.

Kang also rejected the notion that the transfer would weaken the allies’ combined defense posture. Drawing on his experience at the Combined Forces Command, he said Korean officers already take the lead in exercises, planning and other key areas of combined operations.

He argued that a structure in which Korean commanders take the lead, backed by the U.S. military, would make the combined defense system “much stronger.”

Kang said Seoul and Washington are coordinating his communications and meetings with his U.S. counterpart. While cautioning against predicting the outcome of future consultations, including the allies’ Security Consultative Meeting, he said the two sides have so far been proceeding “without major disagreements.”

Asked whether the Full Operational Capability assessment could be completed this year, Kang said the matter was still under discussion between the allies, without committing to a timeline.

In his inaugural speech earlier in the day, Kang pledged defense reforms aimed at building a military capable of completing missions, with a greater emphasis on joint capabilities, training and stronger capabilities.

“Victory will become our strategy, and victory will become our policy,” he said. “Defense reform for victory will unfold.”

DMZ blast

Kang also addressed Monday’s suspected land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), saying the military will keep all possibilities open until it determines what caused the blast.

Three officers were injured while troops were clearing a search route ahead of a planned United Nations Command inspection of an area near the Military Demarcation Line where terrain changes linked to North Korean activity had been detected. Two were seriously injured, but their injuries were not life-threatening.

Kang said the incident was the first matter reported to him after taking office. He said investigators have yet to determine whether the blast site corresponds with areas suspected of North Korean mine-laying activities and noted that no footage has been found that clearly shows what happened.

“We are not ruling out any possibility,” Kang said. “We need solid evidence. We need to be certain before we say anything.”

He said investigators must establish whether the explosive was a South Korean or North Korean mine and whether it had been planted deliberately or had ended up in the area accidentally before deciding on any response.

Kang was more unequivocal about North Korea’s ongoing efforts to fortify its side of the border.

“The border fortification must stop,” he said, adding that the military will take necessary measures depending on the findings of its investigation.