Hegseth is Reportedly Supportive of South Korea Taking Over OPCON Responsibilities
It will be interesting to see if the Lee administration actually follows through on the U.S. request to take over OPCON by the end of their administration. The ROK historically has said it is willing to take OPCON and then continues to delay it for various reasons:
The United States “very much” supports South Korea doing more to lead conventional defense against North Korea, a senior U.S. defense official said Tuesday, as the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung hopes to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington within its term.
The official made the remarks in a press briefing as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back are set to discuss the OPCON transition efforts when they meet for the two countries’ annual defense ministerial talks, called the Security Consultative Meeting, in Seoul on Nov. 4.
You can read more at the link.
Waaaait… CAN Korea take over OPCON before the end of the Lee administration?
As I understand…
It is a condition-based transfer. Korea has not met those conditions. Korea is likely decades away from meeting some of them. Korea is clearly not working towards meeting them with any enthusiasm.
I call bullcorn on it happening.
America doesn’t really want to give it away and Korea really doesn’t want the responsibility or unpredictability.
So… everybody is secretly happy that there is no change but the issue can be taken out and dusted off when needed.
I haven’t been following this so I may have misunderstood the situation.
Anybody have a more informed opinion on this?
@Chickenhead, based on how this issue has been handled in the past I don’t see this happening before the end of the Lee administration. However, Trump is the wild card, he may just say Korea you have OPCON whether you are ready for it not.
Is there some possibility that Trump will leave any sort of opening for quiet strategic Chinese influence or allow a foreigner to command US troops in a war?
No way.
The transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) has repeatedly been delayed under conservative administrations, largely due to their preference for maintaining a strong U.S. military presence on the peninsula.
They also have to listen to their constituents who like their right wing Setnaffarian compatriots want to see the USFK remain in Korea forever, and thus obviously oppose OPCON transfer.
These postponements have forced progressive governments to devote time and resources to re-advancing the process each time they take office.
But knowing @GIKorea, he will turn a blind eye towards right wingers and blame the left for the delay in OPCON transfer.
Left wants it but doesn’t what to do what it takes to be ready to take the mission. Before the US puts US troops under the risk of Korean command we need to be sure Korea can handle it, which they can’t and fail to meet the agreed to capabilities.
It’s certainly a domestic business opportunity for ROK armored vehicle, artillery, missile and aircraft manufacturers.
All the ROKN ships and submarines are already built in the ROK and; Hanwha Ocean is building USN ships in the USA and by next year in Australia.
All the ROK gear is NATO compatible, so there’s another export opportunity.
What is VP JD Beardo’s view on OPCON transfer?