Defense minister nominee says conditions ripe for OPCON transfer

Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul said Wednesday that Korea has made substantial progress on wartime operational control transfer and that the conditions are now in place to move it forward in Seoul. He said the Lee Jae Myung administration is pursuing the transfer within its term and cited the Full Operational Capability assessment of the future Combined Forces Command as a major task. Kang also said any decision on sending forces to the Strait of Hormuz should reflect the safety of Korean nationals and the national interest.

Kang said the OPCON transfer has been pursued by successive administrations and that Korea has made considerable progress in meeting the required conditions.

In written responses to the National Assembly, he cited completing the Full Operational Capability assessment of the future Combined Forces Command as a major task related to the transfer.

Kang said he understood no decision had yet been made on deploying forces to the Strait of Hormuz and tied any decision to the safety of Korean nationals and the national interest.

He backed reform of Korea’s military academies and said integrated education is necessary, while leaving room for changes to the current plan for an integrated academy for the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Opposition lawmakers questioned him over an apartment acquired through a redevelopment displacement housing program and his son’s purchase of a commercial property in Bundang worth more than 700 million won.

Published Sep 16, 2026 3:35 pm KST

Kang Shin-chul stresses national interest on possible Hormuz deployment, backs military academy reform

Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul answers lawmakers’ questions during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Defense minister nominee Kang Shin-chul said Wednesday that Korea has made substantial progress in meeting the requirements for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) and that the conditions are now in place to move the process forward, lending support to the Lee Jae Myung administration’s push to complete the transfer within its term.

Speaking at his confirmation hearing before the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, Kang said the OPCON transfer was something “successive administrations have continuously pursued.”

“We have made considerable progress in meeting the required conditions and I believe the circumstances are also in place,” he said.

[COVER STORY] Scaled-back drills cast uncertainty over OPCON transfer timeline

The Lee administration has made the OPCON transfer one of its key defense policy goals, seeking to complete the process before Lee leaves office. In written responses submitted to the Assembly ahead of the hearing, Kang cited completing the Full Operational Capability (FOC) assessment of the future Combined Forces Command as a major task related to the transfer.

Kang, a former deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, has previously said the transfer should be pursued in a way that strengthens the alliance.

On another major security issue, Kang stopped short of taking a position on whether Korea should send forces to the Strait of Hormuz, saying any decision should be based on the safety of Korean nationals and the national interest.

“I served as an ambassador in the Middle East, so although it was for a short period, I have a good understanding of the situation,” said Kang, who served as Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia earlier this year after retiring from the military.

“Above all, I think this issue should be approached with the safety of our people and the national interest in mind.”

He added that he understood no decision had yet been made on a deployment.

Kang also backed the need to reform Korea’s military academies, another defense initiative being pursued by the Lee administration.

“Successive governments have discussed reforming the military academies,” he said. “I believe integrated education is necessary.”

Kang said that if appointed, he would consider how best to strengthen collaboration among the services and move the reform forward. But he left room for changes to the Defense Ministry’s current plan to create an integrated military academy for the Army, Navy and Air Force.

“There are parts that I personally think need to be supplemented,” he said, adding that the current proposal was not yet complete. He said he would hear a range of views before working out a better plan.

The hearing also featured heated exchanges over property-related allegations involving Kang and his family.

Opposition lawmakers questioned Kang over his acquisition of an apartment through a special housing program for residents displaced by redevelopment and over his son’s purchase of a commercial property worth more than 700 million won ($512,000) in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province.

Kang’s son borrowed a total of 715.5 million won from his aunt and uncle to buy the property in June. The property was initially omitted from Kang’s asset disclosure submitted for the confirmation process and was added later. Kang’s side has said it was an inadvertent omission rather than an attempt to conceal the asset.

“It is difficult for a father to interfere in every aspect of the financial life of a 30-year-old son,” Kang said. He nevertheless apologized, saying the matter “fell short of the public’s expectations.”

韩国国防部长提名人姜信哲周三表示，韩国在战时作战指挥权移交方面取得了实质性进展，目前首尔方面已具备推进移交的条件。他表示，李在明政府将在本届任期内推进移交工作，并指出对未来联合司令部进行全面作战能力评估是一项重要任务。姜信哲还表示，任何关于向霍尔木兹海峡派遣部队的决定都应以韩国国民安全和国家利益为重。

康表示，历届政府一直在推进作战指挥权移交，韩国在满足所需条件方面取得了相当大的进展。

在给国民议会的书面答复中，他提到完成未来联合部队司令部的全面作战能力评估是与移交相关的一项重大任务。

康表示，据他了解，尚未就向霍尔木兹海峡部署兵力做出任何决定，并将任何决定与韩国国民的安全和国家利益联系起来。

他支持改革韩国军事院校，并表示有必要实行综合教育，同时为目前陆军、海军和空军综合院校的计划留出了修改的空间。

反对派议员就他通过重建安置住房计划获得的一套公寓以及他儿子在盆唐购买价值超过 7 亿韩元的商业地产一事对他进行了质询。

发布于2026年9月16日下午3:35（韩国标准时间）

姜信哲强调部署霍尔木兹号导弹可能符合国家利益，并支持军事院校改革。

周三，国防部长提名人姜信哲在首尔国会出席提名确认听证会，并回答议员们的提问。（韩联社）

韩国国防部长提名人姜信哲周三表示，韩国在满足战时作战指挥权移交的要求方面取得了实质性进展，目前已具备推进这一进程的条件，这为李在明政府在其任期内完成移交提供了支持。

康在国会国防委员会的确认听证会上表示，作战指挥权的移交是“历届政府一直在努力推进的事情”。

他说：“我们在满足必要条件方面取得了相当大的进展，我相信各项条件也已经具备。”

【封面故事】演习规模缩减，作战控制权移交时间表充满不确定性

李政府已将作战指挥权移交列为关键国防政策目标之一，力求在李卸任前完成移交。康在听证会前提交给国会的书面答复中指出，完成未来联合部队司令部的全面作战能力（FOC）评估是与移交相关的一项重要任务。

曾任韩美联合部队司令部副司令的康此前曾表示，此次人员调动应以加强韩美同盟的方式进行。

在另一个重大安全问题上，康京和没有明确表示韩国是否应该向霍尔木兹海峡派兵，而是说任何决定都应该基于韩国国民的安全和国家利益。

“我曾在中东担任大使，虽然时间不长，但我对那里的情况有很好的了解，”康先生说道。他于今年早些时候从军队退役后，担任韩国驻沙特阿拉伯大使。

“我认为，处理这个问题时，最重要的是要考虑到人民的安全和国家利益。”

他还补充说，据他了解，尚未就部署事宜做出任何决定。

康也支持改革韩国军事院校的必要性，这是李政府正在推行的另一项国防举措。

他说：“历届政府都讨论过改革军事院校。我认为融合教育是必要的。”

康表示，如果获得任命，他将考虑如何更好地加强各军种间的协作，推进改革。但他同时表示，国防部目前关于建立陆海军空军一体化军事学院的计划仍有可能做出调整。

“我个人认为有些部分需要补充，”他说道，并补充说目前的方案尚未最终定稿。他表示，在制定更完善的方案之前，他会听取各方意见。

听证会上还就康及其家人涉及的财产指控进行了激烈的辩论。

反对派议员质问康某通过一项为因重建而流离失所的居民提供的特殊住房计划获得了一套公寓，以及他的儿子在京畿道盆唐区购买了一处价值超过 7 亿韩元（51.2 万美元）的商业地产。

康某的儿子于6月份向其叔叔婶婶借款7.155亿韩元购买了这处房产。该房产最初并未列入康某提交的资产申报确认文件中，后被补上。康某方面表示，这纯属无意遗漏，并非有意隐瞒资产。

康先生表示：“父亲很难干预30岁儿子财务生活的方方面面。”但他还是道歉，称此事“未能达到公众的预期”。