US stresses conditions for wartime OPCON transfer amid Korea's push to set target year

The U.S. administration said it will transfer wartime operational control to Korea when agreed conditions are met, as Seoul seeks to set a target year for the handover. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said the two countries are coordinating on completing full operational capability certification and determining the year. President Lee Jae Myung’s administration wants the transfer before its term ends in 2030, while Washington has cautioned against rushing it for political reasons. The countries’ defense chiefs are expected to discuss the issue at a Security Consultative Meeting in Washington in December.

A U.S. administration official told Yonhap News Agency by email on Monday that the U.S. policy on wartime operational control has been consistent for decades.

Kang made his remarks during a parliamentary audit on Monday, Korea time.

U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson recently said that conditions had changed, prompting pushback from Seoul.

The expected December Security Consultative Meeting in Washington is also set to address other alliance and security issues.

Published Oct 28, 2026 7:50 am KST

Marine One, with U.S. President Donald Trump aboard, lifts off from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, Oct. 22. AP-Yonhap

The U.S. administration has reiterated that it intends to transfer wartime operational control (OPCON) to Korea "when the agreed conditions have been met," amid Seoul's push to set a target year for the handover.

"The United States intends to transfer wartime operational control to Korea when the agreed conditions have been met, which will ensure the safety and security of the people of Korea and U.S. forces stationed there," a U.S. administration official told Yonhap News Agency via email on Monday.

The remarks came in response to a Yonhap inquiry regarding Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul's comments that Seoul and Washington were coordinating on setting a target year for the OPCON transfer.

"The United States policy on wartime operational control has been consistent for decades," the U.S. official added.

During a parliamentary audit Monday (Korea time), Kang said Korea and the U.S. are closely coordinating on setting a target year for Seoul's retaking of wartime OPCON from Washington.

"The Korean and U.S. authorities are closely coordinating on completing the full operational capability (FOC) certification and determining the 'year X' for the OPCON transfer," Kang said during a parliamentary audit.

His remarks came after U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson's recent comments that "conditions have changed" for Korea to retake OPCON, drawing pushback from Seoul.

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

The defense chiefs of Korea and the U.S. are widely expected to hold the Security Consultative Meeting in Washington in December to discuss a range of alliance and security issues, including the handover of wartime operational control.

美国政府表示，将在双方商定的条件满足后将战时作战指挥权移交给韩国，而首尔方面则希望确定移交的具体年份。韩国国防部长姜信哲表示，两国正在协调完成全面作战能力认证并确定移交年份。李在明总统的政府希望在2030年任期结束前完成移交，而华盛顿方面则警告不要出于政治原因仓促行事。预计两国国防部长将于12月在华盛顿举行的安全磋商会议上讨论这一问题。

一位美国政府官员周一通过电子邮件告诉韩联社，美国在战时作战控制方面的政策几十年来一直保持不变。

康是在周一（韩国时间）国会审计期间发表上述言论的。

驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军近日表示，情况已经发生变化，这引起了首尔方面的反驳。

预计 12 月在华盛顿举行的安全磋商会议还将讨论其他联盟和安全问题。

发布于2026年10月28日 上午7:50（韩国标准时间）

10月22日，载有美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的“海军陆战队一号”直升机从华盛顿白宫南草坪升空。（美联社-韩联社）

美国政府重申，在“满足商定条件”的情况下，打算将战时作战指挥权（OPCON）移交给韩国，而首尔方面则力促设定移交目标年份。

一位美国政府官员周一通过电子邮件告诉韩联社：“美国打算在满足商定条件后将战时作战指挥权移交给韩国，这将确保韩国人民和驻韩美军的安全。”

韩联社就韩国国防部长姜信哲关于首尔和华盛顿正在协调确定作战指挥权移交目标年份的言论向韩国国防部长姜信哲提出询问，韩国国防部长就此作出了回应。

这位美国官员补充说：“几十年来，美国在战时作战控制方面的政策一直保持不变。”

周一（韩国时间），康在国会审计期间表示，韩国和美国正在密切协调，为首尔从华盛顿手中夺回战时作战指挥权设定目标年份。

康在国会审计期间表示：“韩国和美国当局正在密切协调，以完成全面作战能力（FOC）认证，并确定作战控制权移交的‘X年’。”

此前，驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军曾表示，韩国重新夺回作战控制权的“条件已经改变”，此番言论遭到首尔方面的反对。

李在明总统的政府希望在2030年五年任期结束前，甚至更早，重新夺回作战控制权。但美国采取了更为谨慎的做法，出于政治考量，对仓促完成权力交接表示保留意见。

外界普遍预期韩国和美国的国防部长将于12月在华盛顿举行安全磋商会议，讨论一系列联盟和安全问题，包括战时作战指挥权的移交。