Ex-USFK commander warns time-based OPCON transfer could weaken deterrence against N. Korea

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 (Yonhap) -- A former commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) warned Monday that hastening the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea by setting an arbitrary timeline could increase security risks and weaken the allies' deterrence capabilities against North Korea.

Retired Gen. Robert Abrams, who led USFK from 2018-21, made the remarks during a webinar hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, as he discussed the allies' long-running efforts to transfer wartime OPCON from Washington to Seoul.

"From my perspective and experience, I think there's a lot of risk that hasn't been properly been explained to everyone about hastening this (OPCON transfer) and putting it on a timeline," Abrams said.

"Time-based fundamentally just increases risk and the risk is because there's still going to be operational shortfalls on the ROK military side," Abrams said, referring to South Korea by the acronym of its official name, the Republic of Korea.

Abrams stressed that Seoul and Washington "need to make sure that we have sufficient force and capability on the (Korean) peninsula and in the region to be able to adequately deter North Korea."

The former commander cautioned that setting a date without ensuring that Seoul has acquired the necessary military capabilities could create gaps in the allies' defense posture.

Seoul is pushing to retake wartime OPCON from Washington before the Lee Jae Myung administration's five-year term ends in 2030, or even as early as next year.

South Korea retook peacetime OPCON in 1994, but the U.S. retains wartime OPCON. The allies originally agreed in 2007 to transfer wartime OPCON by April 2012, but the handover has been repeatedly delayed as North Korea advanced its nuclear and missile programs.

The allies agreed to a "conditions-based" OPCON transition plan in October 2014, under which South Korea must lead the future combined command and secure key strike capabilities to counter North Korea's threats, while the regional security environment should be conducive to the OPCON handover.

Abrams also disputed an assessment that South Korea had reached 92 percent completion in the requirements in the OPCON transition process in 2020.

"Let me just be clear. That is not consistent with the facts," Abrams said. "I was the commander in Korea in 2020 ... and they were nowhere close to being 92 percent".

He said he was not privy to South Korea's current progress because details of the process are classified, but added that he was "fairly assured that there's still a number of shortfalls."

Gen. Xavier Brunson, the current USFK commander, has stressed that political expediency should not override military readiness in the OPCON transition process.

This undated photo, released by South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command on Jan. 5, 2021, shows former U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Robert Abrams. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

odissy@yna.co.kr (END)

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华盛顿，10 月 5 日（韩联社）——驻韩美军前司令周一警告说，通过设定任意时间表加快战时作战控制权移交给韩国可能会增加安全风险，并削弱盟国对朝鲜的威慑能力。

曾于 2018 年至 2021 年担任驻韩美军司令的退役将军罗伯特·艾布拉姆斯在华盛顿战略与国际研究中心主办的网络研讨会上发表了上述言论。他在会上讨论了盟军长期以来为将战时作战指挥权从华盛顿转移到首尔所做的努力。

“从我的角度来看和经验来看，我认为加快（作战指挥权移交）并将其纳入时间表存在很多风险，而这些风险并没有向所有人充分解释清楚，”艾布拉姆斯说。

“从根本上说，基于时间的行动只会增加风险，而风险在于韩国军方仍然会存在作战能力不足的问题，”艾布拉姆斯说道，他用的是韩国的正式名称“大韩民国”的缩写。

艾布拉姆斯强调，首尔和华盛顿“需要确保我们在（朝鲜）半岛和该地区拥有足够的力量和能力，以便能够充分威慑朝鲜”。

这位前指挥官警告说，在没有确保首尔已获得必要的军事能力的情况下设定日期，可能会在盟军的防御态势中造成漏洞。

首尔正努力在李在明政府五年任期于 2030 年结束之前，甚至最早在明年，从华盛顿手中夺回战时作战指挥权。

韩国于1994年重新获得和平时期作战指挥权，但美国仍保留战时作战指挥权。盟国最初于2007年达成协议，将于2012年4月前移交战时作战指挥权，但由于朝鲜推进其核武器和导弹计划，移交工作一再推迟。

2014 年 10 月，盟军同意了一项“基于条件的”作战指挥权移交计划，根据该计划，韩国必须领导未来的联合司令部，并确保关键打击能力以应对朝鲜的威胁，同时地区安全环境应有利于作战指挥权的移交。

艾布拉姆斯还对韩国在 2020 年 OPCON 过渡过程中已完成 92% 的要求这一评估提出异议。

“我必须明确一点，这与事实不符，”艾布拉姆斯说。“2020年我担任驻韩美军司令……当时他们的命中率远没有达到92%。”

他表示，由于相关细节属于机密，他并不了解韩国目前的进展情况，但他补充说，他“相当肯定，目前仍存在一些不足之处”。

现任驻韩美军司令泽维尔·布伦森将军强调，在作战指挥权交接过程中，政治权宜之计不应凌驾于军事战备之上。

这张未注明日期的照片由韩美联合司令部于2021年1月5日发布，照片中人物为前驻韩美军司令罗伯特·艾布拉姆斯将军。（照片禁止出售）（韩联社）

odissy@yna.co.kr (完)

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前驻韩美军指挥官警告称，基于时间的作战指挥权移交可能会削弱对朝鲜的威慑力。