Category: USFK

I have literally heard of the U.S. transferring OPCON for over 20 years, so forgive me if this is one of those issues I will need to see before I believe it will happen:

South Korea and the United States aim to meet conditions required for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul no later than the first quarter of 2029, the top U.S. general in the Asian country said Wednesday.

U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington, as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s administration seeks to retake wartime OPCON from the U.S. before its five-year term ends in 2030.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

After all the trouble to put the THAAD system in back in 2017 it makes sense that it would not be moved to the Middle East:

U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing at the Capitol in Washington, April 10, 2025, in this photo captured from the committee’s website. Yonhap

The United States has not moved its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East to support its military operations against Iran, but “munitions” are awaiting transfer there, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said Tuesday.

The general made the remarks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington, following speculation that the U.S. military has repositioned or will move USFK assets to the Middle East to back up America’s war efforts against the Islamic Republic.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

Another Freedom Shield exercise has been completed and has supposedly brought the ROK closer to taking over OPCON:

The United States and South Korea have wrapped up a major joint exercise focused on preparing Seoul to assume wartime operational control of allied forces. The 10-day Freedom Shield exercise, which ended Thursday, emphasized readiness for a potential transition in which South Korea would take the lead in defending the peninsula during a conflict, according to a joint news release from U.S. Forces Korea and South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense.

The training also incorporated lessons from recent conflicts and aimed to improve the allies’ ability to respond quickly and effectively to complex security challenges, the release said. “As we prepare for the [operational control] transfer, this year’s [Freedom Shield] reaffirmed the common value of peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula shared between [South Korea] and the U.S.,” Gen. Jin Yong-sung, chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in the release.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

If missiles and launchers are being moved that would still mean the system in Korea is combat effective; it would just have a smaller inventory. However, if its radar or C2 systems are being moved then it would be combat ineffective:

The United States has been moving parts of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system from South Korea to the Middle East, the Washington Post reported, citing two officials.

The reported movement of parts of a THAAD missile defense system comes amid media reports that the U.S. military stationed in South Korea has shipped out some of its military assets amid an intensifying war in the Middle East. 

“The Pentagon is moving parts of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from South Korea to the Middle East,” the report said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Despite war in the Middle East, USFK is executing Freedom Shield as scheduled:

South Korea and the United States kicked off a key annual joint springtime military exercise Monday, with the number of planned field training drills cut in half compared with last year.

The allies launched the Freedom Shield (FS) exercise, which will run through March 19, aimed at strengthening their combined defense posture. 

This year’s FS exercise will be focused on assessing conditions to achieve the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul. 

South Korea has been seeking to achieve the “conditions-based” handover of wartime command from the U.S. within President Lee Jae Myung’s five-year term that ends in 2030.

Some 18,000 troops are expected to take part in the drills, a scale similar to the previous year, where they will engage in realistic wartime scenarios reflecting aspects of modern warfare.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It has been suspected USFK would deploy Patriot batteries again to the Middle East and it appears it may be happening:

U.S. military transport aircraft have been spotted arriving at and departing from a U.S. air base in South Korea over the past week, raising speculation that the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) may be deploying some of its assets to the Middle East amid the escalating conflict involving Iran.

According to the real-time flight tracking website Flightradar24, C-5 and C-17 U.S. transport aircraft have landed at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, since late last month and departed between Wednesday and Saturday.

At least two C-5 aircraft arrived at the air base in late February and were spotted departing last Saturday and Monday, while C-17 aircraft departed between Tuesday and Saturday, with six confirmed to be heading to Anchorage, Alaska.

The C-17 aircraft regularly stopped at the key U.S. base to transport U.S. assets and personnel, but the arrival of the C-5 appears to be rare.

The latest move has fueled speculation that the USFK may be preparing to move Patriot missile defense systems, as it is known to have recently relocated some Patriot batteries to Osan Air Base from other U.S. bases.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

The exercise may go on, but there may be some units missing if they get deployed to fight Iran:

U.S. and South Korean forces will proceed with a major joint military exercise next week despite the United States’ involvement in the conflict with Iran, a pair of generals said this week. The 10-day Freedom Shield exercise — one of the two largest drills conducted by the allies each year — is slated to begin Monday. Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok, a deputy commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, which combines both U.S. and South Korean units, said the training will continue as planned. “Actually, we are strengthening readiness thinking North Korea might show some provocations,” she said Wednesday at the division’s headquarters on Humphreys. “We will conduct the exercise as planned and maintain readiness.” Freedom Shield comes as the U.S. and Israel are engaged in military operations against Iran, which began Saturday. During a joint interview with reporters, Moon and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. W. Bochat said the conflict in the Middle East would not affect the focus of the drills.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link.

It looks like the Pentagon is planning for a protracted conflict with Iran considering they are discussing with the ROK the deployment of USFK assets to the Middle East:

Seoul was cautious Thursday on news reports that South Korea and Washington are discussing the potential redeployment of some United States Forces Korea assets, as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

A Cheong Wa Dae official, declining to be named, said Thursday, “It would not be appropriate for our government to comment on the operational employment of USFK.”

The official added, “The mission of USFK is to maintain a strong combined defense posture with South Korean forces and contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. To that end, South Korea and the United States will continue close communication and coordination.”

The official addressed earlier reports by local media that Seoul and Washington are holding consultations regarding the operational use of USFK and the possible redeployment of certain capabilities to the Middle East.

The Ministry of National Defense also remained cautious on the matter.

“The goal of USFK is to maintain a strong combined defense posture with South Korean forces and contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region,” Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Bin-na said at a regular briefing Thursday, echoing the official in the presidential office. “To that end, Seoul and Washington remain in close communication regarding the operational employment of USFK forces.”

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link, but considering that USFK deployed two Patriot missile batteries to the Middle East during the 12 Day War last year; it is likely air defense batteries will be sent again for this war.

This Yonhap article has a completely deceptive title saying “USFK Chief Expresses ‘Regret” to Seoul Defense Minister Over Air Standoff Incident with China”. When you read the article Gen. Brunson did not show regret for conducting the exercise that led to the air stand off; the regret was that he did not personally notify the Defense Minister:

The commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has expressed “regret” to the South Korean defense minister that he was not briefed on the recent U.S. Air Force drills over the Yellow Sea on time, the USFK said Tuesday.

Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks during a phone call with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back last week to discuss the situation surrounding the U.S. Air Force drill staged from last Wednesday to Thursday.

In a statement to the press, the USFK said the commander had spoken directly with Ahn to reiterate that “notification had been provided to the Republic of Korea side,” and expressed regret that the defense minister and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) “were not briefed in time.”

“U.S. Forces Korea conducts regular training to maintain the highest level of readiness and ensure it can fulfill its mission,” it said in the statement, adding, “We don’t make apologies for maintaining readiness.”

Yonhap

You can read more at the link and The Korea Times did the same thing was a misleading headline of “USFK Commander Reportedly Apologize Over West Sea Drill. If you read the article he once again only shared his regret that the Defense Minister was not notified. He did regret or apologize for conducting the exercise. In both articles USFK says that the ROK military were notified of the exercise. It is not Brunson’s fault that the ROK military failed to inform their senior leadership.

I think Gen. Brunson has learned you do not apologize when you did nothing wrong because the news media will twist it. Instead Gen. Brunson should have asked Defense Minister Ahn if the Russians and Chinese call him to let them know when they fly right through South Korea’s ADIZ multiple times with fighters and bomber aircraft?