South Korea and america agreed to speed up the switch of wartime operational management (OPCON) as a part of efforts to “modernize the alliance,” a transfer that aligns with President Lee Jae Myung’s pledge to finish the transition inside his time period.
The dedication, detailed Friday in a joint reality sheet, marks a essential step towards Korea taking full, impartial accountability for its personal protection practically 75 years after the 1950-53 Korean Struggle.
The actual fact sheet states that the 2 leaders will proceed cooperation towards the switch of OPCON, which might shift wartime authority from the U.S. to South Korea as soon as Seoul is assessed to own the required capabilities.
“We reaffirmed our willpower to strengthen nationwide protection and reclaim OPCON, signaling our management over the protection of the Korean Peninsula,” Lee mentioned whereas unveiling the doc. “The US expressed robust assist.”
The joint declaration of political resolve was instantly bolstered by Nationwide Safety Adviser Wi Sung-lac, who insisted that the extremely complicated switch course of is “progressing easily,” noting that the 2 governments share the intention to finish the transition “as early as potential.”
The query of Korea’s protection dedication was addressed once more with Washington’s reaffirmation that U.S. forces would stay within the nation, though america stopped wanting citing a particular variety of troops, which at present stands at roughly 28,500.
This continued dedication is contingent upon the huge $33 billion in “complete assist” that the actual fact sheet outlines Korea will present for U.S. Forces Korea, together with protection cost-sharing and services equipped for gratis.
In a big present of dedication, Korea additionally agreed to boost its protection spending to three.5 p.c of its gross home product (GDP), abandoning beforehand proposed longer timelines and signaling annual will increase of roughly 8 p.c to achieve the goal properly earlier than 2035.
Armored automobiles and different navy gear are lined up at a U.S. navy base in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, Aug. 10, 2021, forward of preliminary drills for a South Korea-U.S. mixed navy train. Korea Occasions file
Korea’s protection spending sometimes hovers round 2.8 p.c of its GDP, which at present quantities to an annual navy price range of roughly $47 to $48 billion, inserting the nation among the many world’s 12 largest protection spenders.
This dramatic improve in spending is designed to finance the deliberate buy of $25 billion in U.S. navy gear by 2030, which features a second batch of F-35A fighters, early warning planes and ballistic missile intercept techniques.
Protection officers from each international locations additionally agreed to finish the second section of a three-stage verification course of by subsequent 12 months and draw up a brand new highway map to hurry up the transition, in keeping with the result of this month’s Safety Consultative Assembly (SCM).
Korean Protection Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth agreed to advance a brand new highway map for the Future Mixed Forces Command Headquarters, committing to confirm its Full Operational Functionality (FOC) by 2026. A joint assertion reaffirmed that the switch of wartime operational management would proceed “systematically, stably, and actively” solely in any case agreed circumstances have been met, a step each side mentioned would strengthen the alliance’s mixed protection posture.
As soon as FOC verification is full, the method would transfer to Full Mission Functionality (FMC), a ultimate qualitative evaluation requiring political approval from each capitals. Analysts say that if FMC analysis begins as deliberate in 2027, the OPCON switch might be finalized earlier than Lee’s time period ends in June 2030.
The protection chiefs additionally addressed regional safety threats, expressing shared concern over North Korea’s increasing nuclear and missile capabilities and the modernization of its typical forces, significantly in gentle of latest navy cooperation with Moscow.
Hegseth reaffirmed america’ “unwavering dedication” to prolonged deterrence, together with the complete spectrum of U.S. navy capabilities, nuclear property amongst them. The protection chiefs highlighted the profitable implementation of the joint Nuclear Consultative Group and the built-in nuclear and standard tabletop train, designed to strengthen decision-making in a possible nuclear contingency on the peninsula.
In a historic transfer for protection industrial cooperation, the protection chiefs introduced that U.S. fight vessels will obtain upkeep, restore and overhaul companies in South Korea for the primary time. They mentioned this collaboration, which additionally accelerates cooperation in shipbuilding, represents a significant step in bolstering provide chain resilience and supporting U.S. readiness and deterrence throughout the Indo-Pacific area.
