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Defense chief vows to accelerate process this year to regain wartime operational control of troops

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By Yonhap
  • Published Jan 28, 2026 4:47 pm KST
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back presides over a meeting to assess the progress of Korea's bid to retake wartime operational control from Washington, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back presides over a meeting to assess the progress of Korea's bid to retake wartime operational control from Washington, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Wednesday reiterated the commitment to regaining wartime operational control (OPCON) of Korean troops from Washington, vowing to accelerate efforts this year for the planned transfer.

Ahn made the remarks during a meeting with about 170 key defense ministry officials, military chiefs and related officials to review progress on the OPCON transfer push.

Korea seeks to retake OPCON, currently held by the United States, on a conditional basis within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term ending in 2030.

"The year 2026 should mark the starting year for restoration of wartime operational control," Ahn said. "Through the OPCON transfer, our military will be equipped with an ever stronger military readiness posture based on six component commands, leading a powerful Korea-U.S. alliance that is unprecedented in world history."

The ministry plans to draw up a roadmap for the OPCON transfer by April, followed by verification of Seoul's Full Operational Capability (FOC) by October, before ultimately selecting the timing for the actual transfer, according to Ahn and his ministry.

Seoul seeks to determine the transfer timing after the defense ministers of Korea and the U.S. finally approve the verification of the FOC at their next Security Consultative Meeting in October.

FOC refers to the second part of a three-stage program to assess Seoul's capabilities to lead the allies' combined forces for the retaking of wartime control. Seoul is currently in the second phase of the assessment required for the transfer.

The defense ministry said it will hold the OPCON transfer progress assessment meeting every quarter this year, up from once a year previously, in a bid to complete the FOC verification process within this year as planned.