How Is the Preparation for Transfer of Wartime Operational Control Going?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yang Nak-gyu] Interest is gathering around the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) as Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-du visits the United States. This is because momentum is building after jointly approving the verification results of the Future Combined Forces Command's Initial Operational Capability (IOC) last year.

On the 18th, the Ministry of National Defense announced that Minister Jeong will meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in Washington D.C. on the 24th to hold the Korea-U.S. Defense Ministers Meeting and discuss various alliance issues, including the promotion of the wartime OPCON transfer.

The military authorities of South Korea and the U.S. jointly approved the verification results of the Future Combined Forces Command's IOC at the 51st Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held in August last year regarding the OPCON transfer. Based on these results, they are closely cooperating to pursue the Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification in 2020. Once FOC is passed, only the Full Mission Capability (FMC) verification remains in the OPCON transfer verification process. If FOC proceeds next year, it is expected that the approval will be discussed at the SCM in the latter half of next year. Having successfully completed the IOC verification this year, and with the FOC verification this year and FMC verification in 2021, there are expectations that the OPCON transfer could be possible in 2022, the final year of the Moon Jae-in administration.

However, for the OPCON transfer to occur, not only must the Republic of Korea Armed Forces expand their combined defense leadership capabilities, but the three conditions agreed upon by South Korea and the U.S. must also be met. If both are fulfilled, the OPCON will be finally transferred with the approval of the commanders-in-chief of both countries.

The conditions agreed upon by South Korea and the U.S. for the transfer are: Δ Possession of the necessary military capabilities for combined defense leadership after the OPCON transfer and provision of complementary and sustaining capabilities by the U.S. Δ Possession of essential response capabilities by the ROK military against North Korea's nuclear missile threats in the early stages of limited provocations and full-scale war, and provision and operation of U.S. extended deterrence means and strategic assets Δ A security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in the region that is conducive to a stable OPCON transfer.

A military official stated, "South Korea and the U.S. have agreed to hold the Special Permanent Military Committee (SPMC), which jointly evaluates the ROK military's combined operational leadership capabilities, every month," adding, "This is interpreted as an intention to accelerate the OPCON transfer."

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