Is It Possible to Coordinate the Schedule for the ROK-US Wartime Operational Control Transfer?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] South Korea and the United States are holding meetings for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) based on conditions. In March, the scale of the first half joint command post exercise was reduced due to the spread of COVID-19, preventing verification of the Full Operational Capability (FOC) of the future Combined Forces Command that will exercise OPCON, drawing attention to the scheduling of future plans.

On the 27th, the Ministry of National Defense announced that the 20th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) meeting is being held in Seoul until the 28th, with both sides planning to discuss for about 7 to 8 hours daily divided into four subcommittees over two days. KIDD was established according to the 2011 SCM agreement, and this meeting was attended by about 30 key defense and foreign affairs officials from both countries, represented by Director Kim Man-gi and Deputy Assistant Secretary Mohandas.

This meeting is held as a preliminary review of the agenda for the 53rd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), the annual Korea-US defense ministers' consultative body scheduled for November in Seoul, so almost all alliance issues are expected to be addressed.

South Korea and the US will also discuss evaluations and response measures regarding North Korea’s recently tested new long-range cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles fired from trains. In particular, they are expected to discuss the US’s extended deterrence implementation plan against North Korea’s nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats. Based on this, they plan to share assessments of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and discuss North Korea policy cooperation for complete denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace.

Siddharth Mohandas, US Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia, said in his opening remarks at the meeting, "North Korea’s recent multiple missile launches are a challenge to the alliance and threaten the rules-based international community," adding, "Despite these challenges, the Korea-US alliance remains the cornerstone of regional security and must face various challenges for world peace going forward."

Kim Man-gi, Director of Defense Policy at the Ministry of National Defense, said, "Recently, President Moon Jae-in proposed a declaration to end the war at the UN General Assembly, and North Korea also showed a responsive reaction," adding, "This is a time when closer cooperation between the Korea-US alliance is required."

Meanwhile, the US has focused on monitoring North Korean developments following consecutive statements by Vice Chairman Kim Yo-jong.

The US Air Force high-altitude reconnaissance drone Global Hawk (RQ-4) was detected conducting long-duration reconnaissance flights over the West Sea near Incheon, as well as over Pocheon in Gyeonggi Province and Yangyang in Gangwon Province on the morning of the same day. This unmanned aircraft took off from Yokota Air Base in Japan. The RQ-4 is an intelligence satellite-level unmanned reconnaissance aircraft flying at 20 km altitude, equipped with special high-performance radar and infrared detection devices capable of identifying objects as small as 0.3 meters on the ground. Two RC-12X (Guardrail) reconnaissance aircraft of the US Forces Korea were also detected flying over northern Gyeonggi and the West Sea airspace.

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