Former USFK commanders raise concerns over command structure after OPCON transfer

Two former U.S. Forces Korea commanders warned in Washington on Tuesday that a weakened combined command after wartime OPCON transfer could undermine the alliance and military effectiveness. Retired Gen. Walter Sharp questioned whether the future Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command would remain genuinely bilateral. Retired Gen. Paul LaCamera said the allies might agree on a command structure that proves suboptimal in a conflict. President Lee Jae Myung’s administration wants the transfer before its term ends in 2030, while the United States has cautioned against rushing it for political reasons.

Sharp raised questions about the future roles of the Military Committee Meeting and Security Consultative Meeting, as well as approval of wartime operational plans.

LaCamera said the allies might first settle on a suboptimal arrangement and then adapt once fighting begins.

The symposium was hosted online by the Institute for Corean-American Studies.

Published Oct 28, 2026 10:58 am KST

Gen. Paul LaCamera testifies at the Senate Armed Services Hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, May 18, 2021. UPI-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — Two former U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commanders on Tuesday raised concerns that Korea's envisioned wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer could weaken the bilateral alliance and undermine military effectiveness if Seoul and Washington fail to preserve a robust combined command structure.

In an online symposium hosted by the Institute for Corean-American Studies, retired Gen. Walter Sharp warned that changes to the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) following the transfer could have implications for the longstanding alliance.

"That whole combined nature goes away and ... I really do see it as a doorway to greatly reducing the alliance, greatly reducing our work with Korea," Sharp said.

Sharp also questioned whether a future CFC would remain genuinely bilateral after the transfer, particularly regarding the roles of the countries' Military Committee Meeting and Security Consultative Meeting, as well as the approval of wartime operational plans.

Gen. Walter Sharp, then commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, answers a reporter's question during a press conference on the annual joint military exercises between the United States and Korea at a U.S. military base in Seoul, March 11, 2010. AP-Yonhap

Retired Gen. Paul LaCamera, another former USFK commander, also expressed concerns about the future command arrangement, suggesting that the allies could reach a compromise that may end up being less than optimal during an actual conflict.

"My guess is we will probably make it suboptimal because that is what we can agree to," LaCamera said, referring to the future command structure following a potential transfer of wartime OPCON.

"It will be suboptimal when the fighting starts, and then we will quickly get to optimization because it is adapt or perish," he added.

President Lee Jae Myung's administration wants to retake OPCON before its five-year term ends in 2030. But the United States has taken a more prudent approach, expressing reservations about rushing to complete the handover out of political considerations.

周二，两名前驻韩美军司令在华盛顿警告称，战时作战指挥权移交后，联合司令部权力削弱可能会损害韩美同盟关系和军事效能。退役将军沃尔特·夏普质疑未来的韩美联合司令部是否还能保持真正的双边性质。退役将军保罗·拉卡梅拉表示，盟国可能会同意一种在冲突中被证明并非最佳的指挥结构。李在明总统的政府希望在2030年任期结束前完成移交，而美国则警告不要出于政治原因仓促行事。

夏普对军事委员会会议和安全磋商会议的未来作用以及战时作战计划的批准提出了疑问。

拉卡梅拉表示，盟军可能会先达成一个次优方案，然后在战斗开始后再进行调整。

本次研讨会由美韩研究中心在线主办。

发布于2026年10月28日上午10:58（韩国标准时间）

2021年5月18日，保罗·拉卡梅拉将军在美国国会大厦出席参议院军事委员会听证会。图片来源：UPI-Yonhap

华盛顿——周二，两名前驻韩美军指挥官表示担忧，如果首尔和华盛顿未能保持强大的联合指挥结构，韩国设想的战时作战控制权（OPCON）移交可能会削弱双边联盟，并损害军事效能。

在韩美研究所主办的一次在线研讨会上，退役将军沃尔特·夏普警告说，移交后韩美联合部队司令部 (CFC) 的变化可能会对长期联盟产生影响。

夏普说：“这种整体性的结合将会消失……我真的认为这将是大幅削减联盟、大幅减少我们与韩国合作的途径。”

夏普还质疑，移交后未来的联合部队司令部是否还能保持真正的双边性质，尤其是在两国军事委员会会议和安全磋商会议的作用，以及战时作战计划的批准方面。

2010年3月11日，时任驻韩美军司令沃尔特·夏普将军在首尔美军基地举行的美韩年度联合军事演习新闻发布会上回答记者提问。（美联社-韩联社）

另一位前驻韩美军司令、退役将军保罗·拉卡梅拉也对未来的指挥安排表示担忧，他认为盟军可能会达成某种妥协，但在实际冲突中，这种妥协最终可能并非最佳方案。

“我的猜测是，我们可能会让它变得不尽如人意，因为这是我们能同意的，”拉卡梅拉说道，他指的是战时作战指挥权可能移交后的未来指挥结构。

“战斗开始时，情况肯定不会是最佳的，但之后我们会迅速调整到最佳状态，因为要么适应，要么灭亡，”他补充道。

李在明总统的政府希望在2030年五年任期结束前重新夺回作战控制权。但美国采取了更为谨慎的做法，出于政治考虑，对仓促完成移交表示保留意见。