South Korea Defense Minister Says No Major Issues in Accelerating OPCON Transfer

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Sunday that South Korea and the United States face no major issues in accelerating the transfer of wartime operational control, or OPCON, to Seoul. Ahn made the remarks at Incheon International Airport before departing for Washington, where he is scheduled to hold talks with the U.S. defense secretary on Monday U.S. time.

South Korea is seeking to retake wartime command of its troops before the current government's five-year term ends in 2030. "South Korean and U.S. officials made significant progress in 2015 regarding the wartime OPCON transfer under a conditions-based agreement," Ahn told reporters.

"Based on that progress, we've been preparing for the transition in a systematic, stable and consistent manner. " The minister indicated that setting a target year for the wartime OPCON transfer will be among the key agenda items for the upcoming talks.

At last year's annual consultative meeting between the defense chiefs, the two sides agreed to finalize the second phase of the road map for the transfer and to determine a target year at their subsequent meeting.

Signs of differing views between the allies have emerged on the timing. Seoul is reportedly targeting 2028 for the transition. U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Xavier Brunson told Congress last month that the two countries seek to meet the required conditions no later than the first quarter of 2029.

Ahn also addressed Seoul's push for nuclear-powered submarines. He underscored the importance of implementing follow-up steps agreed upon by the leaders during their summit talks in October. "South Korea has significant submarine-related capabilities, so if the U.S. provides some level of support on the fuel side, I don't believe there would be major difficulties in moving forward with the process," Ahn said.