Defense Minister Seo Wook Departs Today by Air Refueling Aircraft to Attend SCM

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] On the afternoon of the 13th, Defense Minister Seo Wook will depart for the United States using an Air Force aerial refueling aircraft (KC-330). He is attending the 52nd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) jointly hosted with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on the 14th (local time).

According to the Ministry of National Defense on the day, South Korea and the U.S. will discuss major alliance issues including ▲ assessment of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and policy coordination ▲ promotion of wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer based on conditions ▲ strengthening of combined defense posture. The two ministers are expected to announce the results of the meeting through a joint press conference and joint statement after the SCM.

Discussions are also expected on whether to continue maintaining the evaluation and verification methods for the three major conditions agreed upon by both countries for the OPCON transfer, or to partially change or relax some methods.

Inside and outside the military, there have been consistent claims that the conditions for OPCON transfer are excessively stringent and that the standards need to be rationally reestablished.

Additionally, there are criticisms that if the evaluation and verification methods for the OPCON transfer conditions are not rationally reestablished, the schedule for the OPCON transfer could inevitably be influenced by the U.S. position, creating a vulnerable structure.

South Korea and the U.S. are negotiating to conduct a verification exercise for the Full Operational Capability (FOC) of the future Combined Forces Command early next year. It is reported that they are particularly negotiating to conduct the verification exercise during the combined command post exercise in the first half of the year, around March to April.

The SCM, an annual meeting between the defense ministers of South Korea and the U.S., was held in Seoul last year and, according to tradition, will be held in the U.S. this year. Minister Seo will visit the U.S. for the first time since his appointment on the occasion of this meeting.

During his visit to the U.S., Minister Seo will pay respects and lay flowers at the Korean War Veterans Memorial Park.

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