Air Force Chief Lee Seong-yong: "Core Capabilities for Wartime OPCON Transfer Must Be Quickly Established"

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu]Newly appointed Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Seong-yong stated that he will promptly equip the essential military capabilities required for the transfer of wartime operational control and secure the necessary forces to prepare for the full-fledged space era.

In his inaugural address distributed in advance on the 23rd ahead of the inauguration ceremony, Chief Lee emphasized, "We must prepare the core military capabilities needed for the transfer of operational control as soon as possible by responding to changes in the future battlefield environment based on the advanced science and technology of the 4th Industrial Revolution."

He said, "We will enhance the execution of Defense Reform 2.0, reorganize the organization and doctrine to prepare for the full-fledged space era, and secure the necessary forces."

He also stated, "Internally, the military threat from North Korea remains, and potential military tensions in the Northeast Asia region are gradually increasing," adding, "By maintaining a perfect airspace defense posture, we will firmly support an all-around military readiness posture."

Chief Lee added, "The future of our Air Force depends on people," and said, "We will strive to nurture outstanding talents who possess both competitiveness and military expertise."

The inauguration ceremony will be held in the afternoon at the large parade ground of Gyeryongdae, Chungnam, presided over by Defense Minister Seo Wook. Considering the COVID-19 situation, the number of invited guests, including key military commanders and Air Force Headquarters officials, was minimized to fewer than 100.

He has served as Director of the Command and Reconnaissance Project Department at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, Commander of the 10th Fighter Wing, Director of the Planning and Management Staff at Air Force Headquarters, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Director of the Strategic Planning Headquarters at the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

General Won In-chul, who has served as Air Force Chief of Staff for 1 year and 5 months and will hand over command authority to Chief Lee, will also be inaugurated as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff this afternoon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.