By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
The top U.S. military officer in South Korea dismissed the possibility of Seoul and Washington renegotiating the timing for the transition of operational control (OPCON) of Korean troops during wartime from the U.S. military to Korean commanders.
Gen. B. B. Bell, commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), said in New York that the transfer of OPCON in 2012 would strengthen the alliance between South Korea and the United States by restoring the ``ultimate expression of sovereignty'' to Seoul.
``We trust the Korean general officers to lead theater and battle control operations,'' the four-star general, who concurrently serves as chief of the United Nations Command (UNC), said in a forum hosted by the Korea Society. ``The competency of their flag officers is second to none … It would not be wise for the North Koreans to test that.''
South Korea voluntarily handed over both peacetime and wartime operational controls to the U.S.-led UNC at the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War. The command authority was later transferred to the CFC, and Seoul took over peacetime control in 1994.
The liberal Roh Moo-hyun government pushed for taking over wartime control with the aim of building a ``self-reliant'' military emerging from the decades-long U.S. security umbrella.
Under a deal struck early last year, South Korea is to exercise independent OPCON of its troops during wartime beginning April 17, 2012. The U.S. military will shift to a naval- and air-centric supporting role.
The two sides agreed on a package of command rearrangement plans including operation of separate military commands after disbanding the CFC.
Following the victory of Lee Myung-bak, who campaigned on a pledge to strengthen ties with the United States before the Dec. 19 election, some aides to the President-elect have called for a review of the agreement, citing lingering threats posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
``I see no military rationale for (a renegotiation),'' Bell said, expressing his confidence in South Korea's growing military capabilities.
Bell said U.S. troops would be stationed even after a peace regime is established on the Korean Peninsula, replacing the current armistice agreement signed at the end of the Korean War between the U.S.-led UNC, China and North Korea.
The top U.S. commander in the Pacific region backed Bell's remarks at a luncheon in Washington, D.C.
Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, said the troop strength of USFK, at one time as high as 37,000, will remain steady at between 25,000 and 28,000 after the OPCON transfer in 2012.
The figure he cited is higher than the 25,000 that Seoul and Washington have agreed to.
On the transfer of operational control, the admiral emphasized capability.
``It's important to note that it's not just the number of troops. It's the capability they represent, and it's a formidable set of capabilities,'' said Keating.