President reaffirms push to reclaim wartime OPCON by 2028

President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed Monday in Seoul his commitment to reclaiming wartime operational control from the United States by 2028. Lee said South Korea is capable of taking responsibility for its own defense and that talks with Washington were progressing generally well. He described OPCON recovery as essential to national sovereignty, while acknowledging difficulties in changing a command arrangement that has lasted more than seven decades.

U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson outlined a roadmap for meeting OPCON transfer conditions by the first quarter of 2029 during an April 22 U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Lee said South Korea’s annual defense spending was roughly 1.5 times North Korea’s entire annual economic output.

Lee said the administration was substantially increasing defense spending and strengthening military capabilities while acknowledging that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons.

Lee described disagreements involving investment and intelligence sharing as manageable differences arising from the two countries’ national interests.

Published Oct 19, 2026 5:32 pm KST

Updated Oct 19, 2026 7:06 pm KST

Lee says alliance differences manageable despite investment, intelligence tensions

President Lee Jae Myung speaks with reporters in the lobby of Chunchugwan, the press center at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, during a gathering marking his administration’s 500th day in office, Monday. Joint Press Corps

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday reaffirmed his commitment to regaining wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States by 2028, calling it essential to South Korea’s sovereignty.

Speaking before reporters to mark his administration’s 500th day in office, Lee expressed confidence in the country’s defense capabilities and positively assessed talks with Washington on the handover.

“To put it plainly, we must reclaim OPCON at an early date, and we are fully capable of doing so,” he said, adding that discussions between the two allies were “also generally progressing well toward its transition.”

The president's reference to 2028 comes as questions persist over the handover timetable, with U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson having outlined a roadmap for meeting the OPCON transfer conditions by the first quarter of 2029 during a U.S. House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 22.

Brunson’s more recent comments have added to uncertainty over Seoul’s preferred timeline, with the commander saying changes in operational plans had led to new standards for the handover.

Lee said “reclaiming” or “returning” OPCON would be more appropriate than the commonly used term “transfer,” emphasizing that military sovereignty is a central component of an independent state.

“We are a sovereign, independent country, and we must get OPCON back to meet the basic requirements of a state,” he said.

Given South Korea’s economic, cultural and military standing, Lee argued that the continued reliance on another country could not be left unaddressed.

He acknowledged that changing an arrangement that has lasted more than seven decades would be difficult, but stressed that South Korea must take responsibility for its own defense.

“Of course we must take responsibility for our own defense, and I believe we are fully capable of doing so,” he said. “If anything is lacking, we must fill those gaps.”

The president cited South Korea’s conventional military strength and said its annual defense spending was roughly 1.5 times North Korea’s entire annual economic output.

Lee stressed that comparisons between the two militaries should account for the capabilities of modern weapons rather than simply counting fighter jets or warships.

He acknowledged Pyongyang’s possession of nuclear weapons but described them as “weapons of last resort,” adding that his administration was substantially increasing defense spending and strengthening military capabilities.

The president also played down tensions with the U.S. over investment and intelligence sharing, saying disagreements are a normal part of relations between sovereign countries.

“It is not normal for relations between countries to be completely peaceful and free of problems. I do not understand treating differences themselves as a problem,” he said.

In an apparent response to opposition criticism of his handling of the issue, Lee argued that domestic political differences should not prevent support for the government in international disputes.

“When there are sources of conflict, people should support their own government. This is the first time I have seen it attacked at home because of differing political positions,” he said.

Addressing reported friction between the National Intelligence Service and U.S. intelligence agencies, he said their relationship could not be expected to remain entirely free of disagreements.

Such differences did not necessarily mean either side had done something wrong, he noted, describing them as minor issues arising as each country pursues its national interests.

“They are small differences that arise as each side protects its own national interests, and they are fully manageable,” Lee said.

李在明总统周一在首尔重申，他致力于在2028年前从美国手中收回战时作战指挥权。李在明表示，韩国有能力承担起自身防卫的责任，与华盛顿的谈判总体进展顺利。他强调，恢复作战指挥权对国家主权至关重要，同时也承认，改变一项已持续七十余年的指挥安排存在诸多困难。

4 月 22 日，美国众议院军事委员会举行听证会，驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军概述了在 2029 年第一季度之前实现作战指挥权移交条件的路线图。

李表示，韩国每年的国防开支大约是朝鲜全年经济产出的1.5倍。

李表示，政府正在大幅增加国防开支并加强军事能力，同时承认朝鲜拥有核武器。

李将涉及投资和情报共享的分歧描述为两国国家利益造成的可控差异。

发布于2026年10月19日下午5:32（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月19日晚上7:06（韩国标准时间）

李表示，尽管存在投资和情报方面的紧张关系，但联盟内部的分歧是可以控制的。

周一，在首尔青瓦台新闻中心春秋馆大厅，李在明总统出席其执政500天纪念活动，并与记者交谈。（联合记者团）

韩国总统李在明周一重申了他致力于在2028年前从美国手中夺回战时作战控制权（OPCON）的承诺，称这对于韩国的主权至关重要。

李登辉在就职500天之际向记者发表讲话，表达了对国家国防能力的信心，并对与华盛顿就权力交接问题进行的会谈给予了积极评价。

“坦白地说，我们必须尽早夺回作战控制权，而且我们完全有能力做到这一点，”他说道，并补充说，两国盟友之间的讨论“总体上也朝着交接方向取得了良好进展”。

总统提到 2028 年之际，人们对移交时间表仍存有疑问。此前，驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军在 4 月 22 日美国众议院军事委员会的听证会上概述了在 2029 年第一季度之前满足作战指挥权移交条件的路线图。

布伦森最近的言论加剧了人们对首尔方面首选时间表的疑虑，这位指挥官表示，作战计划的改变导致了移交工作的新标准。

李表示，“收回”或“归还”作战控制权比常用的“移交”一词更合适，并强调军事主权是独立国家的核心组成部分。

“我们是一个主权独立的国家，我们必须重新获得作战指挥权，以满足一个国家的基本需求，”他说。

李认为，鉴于韩国的经济、文化和军事地位，不能对韩国继续依赖另一个国家的问题置之不理。

他承认，改变一项持续了七十多年的安排将会很困难，但他强调，韩国必须承担起自身国防的责任。

“我们当然必须承担起自身防卫的责任，而且我相信我们完全有能力做到这一点，”他说。“如果有什么不足之处，我们必须弥补这些不足。”

总统援引韩国的常规军事实力，称其年度国防开支约为朝鲜全年经济产出的1.5倍。

李强调，对两国军队进行比较时，应该考虑现代武器的能力，而不是仅仅统计战斗机或军舰的数量。

他承认平壤拥有核武器，但将其描述为“最后的武器”，并补充说，他的政府正在大幅增加国防开支并加强军事能力。

总统还淡化了与美国在投资和情报共享方面的紧张关系，称分歧是主权国家之间关系的正常组成部分。

他说：“国家间的关系完全和平、毫无问题是不正常的。我不理解为什么要把分歧本身视为问题。”

针对反对派对其处理该问题的批评，李光耀辩称，国内政治分歧不应妨碍在国际争端中支持政府。

他说：“当出现冲突时，人们应该支持自己的政府。这是我第一次看到政府因为政治立场不同而在国内遭到攻击。”

针对有报道称国家情报局与美国情报机构之间存在摩擦，他表示，不能指望它们之间的关系完全没有分歧。

他指出，这些分歧并不一定意味着任何一方做错了什么，而是各国在追求自身国家利益的过程中出现的一些小问题。

李说：“这些都是双方在维护自身国家利益时产生的小分歧，完全可以管控。”