USFK says S. Korea-US alliance remains committed to 'conditions-based' OPCON transfer

WASHINGTON — The South Korea-U.S. alliance remains committed to a "conditions-based" transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul from Washington, a U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) official said Wednesday, amid a report that the U.S. military has expressed concerns over a potentially rushed OPCON transition. The official's remarks came after the Chosun Ilbo, a Korean daily, reported that USFK told the South Korean side a hurried OPCON transition would make it difficult for American troops to come under South Korean operational control within the allies' current combined command structure. "The U.S.-ROK alliance is committed to a conditions-based transition of wartime operational control, and that commitment is unchanged," the official told Yonhap News Agency. ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea. "Our focus remains on strengthening the combined defense and ensuring the defense of the Republic of Korea and the U.S. homelands." The official did not offer any direct response to Yonhap News Agency's request to confirm the report. The administration of SouWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times