S. Korea Plans to Restore Wartime Military Control from U.S.
(MENAFN) South Korea plans to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) of its armed forces from the United States during President Lee Jae Myung’s tenure, according to a report by media on Wednesday.
The Lee administration’s five-year policy roadmap, revealed by the State Affairs Planning Committee, outlines the goal of restoring wartime control within its term. However, this blueprint is still subject to further review before potential approval by Lee’s Cabinet.
Lee, who won a snap presidential election in June after the removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol—whose administration collapsed following a failed martial law attempt last December—is moving quickly on military and diplomatic shifts.
South Korea, a long-standing U.S. ally, hosts over 28,500 American troops. While the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff currently exercise peacetime OPCON, wartime operational control remains under the U.S.-led Combined Forces Command.
During his parliamentary confirmation, South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back stated that the Lee administration aims to recover wartime operational control of South Korea, a process that will necessitate "in-depth conversations" with the US.
The roadmap also commits to “normalizing” ties with North Korea, emphasizing reconciliation and cooperation. The State Affairs Planning Committee stated, “By institutionalizing peace and coexistence, the government will make an effort to transform the so-called ‘Korean Peninsula risk’ into a ‘Korean Peninsula premium.’”
Shortly after assuming office, Lee took steps signaling a diplomatic shift by banning anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns across the border and dismantling propaganda broadcasting infrastructure—actions mirrored by North Korea. Additionally, the administration postponed some joint military drills with the U.S., moves that Pyongyang has repeatedly condemned.
This strategic pivot marks a significant shift in Seoul’s approach toward security and inter-Korean relations amid ongoing regional tensions.
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