Former ROK Presidential Advisor Says OPCON Must Return to Korea Because the Old America is Gone
Look who has popped up in the media again to push an anti-Trump narrative:
Korea’s push to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) of its military is not just an attempt to reclaim military sovereignty, but a necessary response to a fundamental shift in the United States’ foreign and security policy, according to Moon Chung-in, a former presidential special adviser.
In an interview with The Korea Times on Tuesday, Moon, currently a professor emeritus at Yonsei University, argued that President Lee Jae Myung’s pursuit of OPCON transfer comes in line with Washington’s growing expectation that Seoul assume primary responsibility for its own defense, rather than the self-reliant defense agenda set by former President Roh Moo-hyun.
“The U.S. is changing, but we are still clinging to the old America. The old America is gone,” Moon said.
He pointed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated demands that Korea shoulder a greater share of its defense burden. Under such an arrangement, Korean forces would take the lead in conventional defense against North Korea, while U.S. forces would provide complementary capabilities in areas where Seoul remains relatively weak, including air and naval capabilities, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance — as well as extended nuclear deterrence.
“Discussions would be needed, but OPCON transfer could eventually lead to a parallel command structure, similar to Japan’s arrangement with the U.S.,” he said.
You can read more at the link.
