Korea weighs reclaiming wartime military control from US

Military vehicles are seen at a U.S. military base in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Yonhap

South Korea is set to renew talks on transferring wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, a shift that could reshape the structure of a decades-long military alliance that dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War.

The move, one of President Lee Jae Myung's key security pledges, comes at a delicate moment for the allies. Washington is increasing pressure on Seoul to shoulder more of its own defense costs and support an expanded role for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in deterring China's growing assertiveness in the region.

"The transfer of wartime operational control is not a new issue. It has long been discussed between South Korea and the U.S. and remains a pledge of our administration," a presidential official said Friday. "We will continue close communication with the U.S. on this matter."

The comment followed a briefing for Lee during a National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Thursday. It was the first NSC meeting held since his inauguration on June 4.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, who returned on Wednesday from a trip to Washington, told reporters that the OPCON transfer is part of the Lee administration's broader policy agenda. However, he stopped short of confirming whether the issue is tied to ongoing package deal negotiations with the U.S. over trade and security.

Regarding the issue, a Pentagon official told Yonhap News Agency that the two nations "continue to work together to make progress toward OPCON transition," adding that the Pentagon has nothing to announce for now.

South Korean and U.S. troops build a combined floating bridge during a joint arms river-crossing exercise at the Seogeunso training site along the Imjin River in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, March 20. Joint Press Corps

OPCON refers to the authority to command military forces during wartime.

While South Korea exercises control in peacetime, wartime command authority remains under the leadership of the U.S.-led Combined Forces Command (CFC), currently headed by a U.S. general.

The structure dates back to the Korean War, when Seoul handed over the authority to the United Nations Command. That authority shifted to the CFC in 1978.

For many in South Korea, regaining OPCON represents more than just military preparedness — it indicates full sovereignty and national autonomy.

Former President Moon Jae-in had pushed to complete the transition by 2022, based on a three-step verification process agreed upon with Washington: initial operational capability, full operational capability and full mission capability.

Progress stalled under the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration, but Lee's more liberal government has signaled willingness to move the process forward.

However, talks on OPCON transfer come as the alliance enters choppy waters.

U.S. President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff measures and continuous demands that South Korea pay more to help maintain 28,500 American troops in the country have increasingly put the decades-long alliance under strain. In his latest salvo, he criticized Seoul for paying the U.S. "very little" and insisted that the Asian ally bear the full cost of its own defense.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a multilateral lunch with visiting African leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday (local time). AFP-Yonhap

Yet some analysts say the Lee administration has reason to expect that the renewed push for OPCON transfer will proceed smoothly.

"There seems to be a notion among government officials that OPCON could be used as leverage in defense cost-sharing talks," said Cho Han-bum, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

"Trump wants Seoul to pay more and support a broader role for U.S. troops in regional security. If South Korea accepts those terms to some degree, it may, in return, demand a swift OPCON transfer."

Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, cautioned that the transfer would fundamentally reshape the bilateral defense posture.

"OPCON transfer means that South Korea would bear full responsibility for defending its own country in the case of a North Korean attack, as the USFK presence would gradually decline," Park said. "South Korea must establish a self-reliant defense posture to prepare for these changes, which will require a significant increase in the defense budget."

Military officials have expressed concerns over whether the nation is ready to take full control, considering gaps in key areas such as command systems, surveillance and reconnaissance.

South Korea has launched only four military reconnaissance satellites so far, leaving it heavily dependent on U.S. intelligence assets to monitor North Korea even in peacetime.

President Lee Jae Myung visits a front-line Army unit in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, June 13. Courtesy of presidential office

"Beyond military capabilities, we also need to consider the financial burden of assuming wartime control and maintaining combat readiness amid growing threats from North Korea," a military officer told The Korea Times.

During a policy briefing with Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back earlier this month, the Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly advised the administration against actively pushing for an OPCON transfer, recommending that Seoul maintain a low-key stance until Washington initiates the discussion.

Conservative lawmakers, traditionally strong supporters of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, have also voiced concern. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) called the move a "dangerous choice."

“OPCON is a critical security issue that demands thorough military review, especially as North Korea positions tactical nuclear weapons near the front line,” PPP spokesperson Choi Soo-jin said.

Despite these concerns, the Lee administration is expected to roll out concrete policy measures on the issue in the coming months.

The National Planning Committee, the de facto transition team responsible for shaping the new government's agenda, said it is working closely with the defense ministry to outline the next steps for the OPCON transfer.