(2nd LD) Lee says wartime operational control must be retaken at early date

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(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks in last 4 paras, photo)

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung reiterated Monday that wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops, currently held by the United States, should be transferred to Seoul at an early date.

"I think having the OPCON entrusted to another country and relying on it cannot be left as it is," the president said during a meeting with reporters marking his 500th day in office, which fell on Friday.

"Speaking frankly, OPCON must be returned at an early date. (We) are sufficiently capable of doing so, and (related) talks between South Korea and the U.S. are basically going well in that direction."

President Lee Jae Myung (seated, R) speaks to reporters at Chunchugwan, the presidential press center, in the Cheong Wa Dae compound on Oct. 19, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

The president's remarks came amid a perceived gap between Seoul and Washington over the timing of the OPCON transition, with the Lee administration seeking to retake it before its term ends in 2030, or even earlier.

At an event in Washington last week, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said that "conditions have changed," citing North Korea's recent missile launches, and that such changes called for new standards for the OPCON transfer.

A spokesperson for Seoul's defense ministry later said the goal of the OPCON transfer may never be achieved if the goalpost kept moving.

South Korea handed over OPCON to the U.S.-led U.N. Command during the 1950-53 Korean War. It was then transferred to the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command when the command was launched in 1978. Seoul retook peacetime OPCON in 1994, but wartime OPCON still remains in U.S. hands.

Lee said he appreciates the U.S. for its "goodwill" in insisting that it would first confirm Seoul's ability to defend itself and assume operational control before handing OPCON over to Seoul.

"It is something to be very grateful for, but I think it is something we should do on our own. It will go well," he said.

"(We) should definitely shoulder (our national defense) on our own, and I think we are sufficiently capable of doing so," Lee added.

President Lee Jae Myung (C) speaks to reporters at Chunchugwan, the presidential press center, in the Cheong Wa Dae compound on Oct. 19, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

The president said that the government is taking various measures to strengthen the country's defense capabilities, stressing that the country has the world's fifth-strongest conventional military forces, excluding nuclear weapons.

"Military sovereignty may constitute a core pillar of national sovereignty. I think South Korea should promptly regain (OPCON) to secure the most basic condition as a country," he said.

Turning to the stock market, Lee said South Korean shares remain "significantly undervalued," citing lingering skepticism over market transparency and fairness as reasons for the undervaluation.

"I keep checking on what should be done in terms of policy to normalize the stock market," the president said, adding that he will take "necessary measures" after receiving relevant briefings from officials soon.

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Defense minister says S. Korea conveys concerns over USFK chief's OPCON remarks

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USFK chief says 'conditions have changed' while stressing requirements for OPCON transfer to S. Korea

(2nd LD) Lee says wartime operational control must be retaken at early date

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（注意：最后4段有更多说明，并附照片）

首尔，10月19日（韩联社）——韩国总统李在明周一重申，目前由美国控制的韩国军队战时作战指挥权（OPCON）应尽早移交给首尔。

“我认为将作战指挥权委托给另一个国家并依赖它的做法不能继续下去，”总统在周五举行的就职500天纪念日记者会上说。

“坦率地说，作战控制权必须尽快归还。（我们）完全有能力做到这一点，而且韩国和美国之间的（相关）谈判基本上朝着这个方向进展顺利。”

2026年10月19日，李在明总统（右坐者）在青瓦台总统新闻中心春秋馆向记者发表讲话。（联社照片）（韩联社）

总统发表上述言论之际，首尔和华盛顿之间似乎在作战指挥权交接时间问题上存在分歧，李明博政府希望在 2030 年任期结束前甚至更早重新夺回作战指挥权。

上周在华盛顿举行的一次活动中，驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军表示，“情况已经发生了变化”，他以朝鲜最近的导弹发射为例，并指出这种变化需要新的作战指挥权移交标准。

首尔国防部发言人随后表示，如果目标不断变化，作战指挥权移交的目标可能永远无法实现。

在1950-53年的朝鲜战争期间，韩国将作战指挥权移交给了以美国为首的联合国军司令部。1978年，随着韩美联合司令部的成立，作战指挥权又移交给了该司令部。首尔于1994年重新获得了和平时期的作战指挥权，但战时作战指挥权仍然掌握在美国手中。

李表示，他感谢美国的“善意”，美国坚持先确认首尔有能力自卫并接管作战控制权，然后再将作战控制权移交给首尔。

“这的确是一件值得感恩的事，但我认为我们应该自己去做。一切都会顺利的。”他说。

李补充说：“（我们）绝对应该自己承担起（国防）责任，而且我认为我们完全有能力做到这一点。”

2026年10月19日，李在明总统（中）在青瓦台总统新闻中心春秋馆向记者发表讲话。（联社照片）（韩联社）

总统表示，政府正在采取各种措施加强国家国防能力，并强调该国拥有世界第五强大的常规军事力量（不包括核武器）。

“军事主权可能是国家主权的核心支柱。我认为韩国应该尽快恢复作战控制权，以确保作为一个国家最基本的生存条件。”他说道。

谈到股市，李表示，韩国股市仍然“被严重低估”，他指出，人们对市场透明度和公平性的持续怀疑是造成低估的原因。

总统表示：“我一直在关注应该采取哪些政策措施来使股市正常化”，并补充说，他将在很快收到官员们的相关简报后采取“必要措施”。

消息人士称，美国对韩国就驻韩美军指挥官言论所表达的不安表示“理解”。

主要反对党抨击政府在作战指挥权移交问题上与美国存在分歧。

国防部长表示，韩国对驻韩美军作战指挥官的言论表示关切。

韩国方面表示，如果情况持续变化，基于条件的作战指挥权移交“永远”不可能。

驻韩美军司令表示“情况已经改变”，同时强调了将作战指挥权移交给韩国的必要条件。

（第二段）李说，战时作战控制权必须尽早夺回。