President Lee presses for early return of wartime command from Washington

President Lee Jae Myung reiterated Monday that wartime operational control (Opcon) of South Korean troops, currently held by the United States, should be transferred to Seoul at an early date.

"I think having the Opcon entrusted to another country and relying on it cannot be left as it is," the president said during a meeting with reporters marking his 500th day in office on Friday.

"Speaking frankly, Opcon must be returned at an early date. [We] are sufficiently capable of doing so, and [related] talks between South Korea and the United States are basically going well in that direction."

The president's remarks came amid a perceived gap between Seoul and Washington over the timing of the Opcon transition, with the Lee administration seeking to retake it before its term ends in 2030, or even earlier.

At an event in Washington last week, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said that "conditions have changed," citing North Korea's recent missile launches, and that such changes called for new standards for the Opcon transfer.

A spokesperson for Seoul's Defense Ministry later said the goal of the Opcon transfer may never be achieved if the goalposts keep moving.

South Korea handed over Opcon to the U.S.-led United Nations Command during the 1950-53 Korean War. It was then transferred to the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command when the command was launched in 1978. Seoul retook peacetime Opcon in 1994, but wartime Opcon still remains in U.S. hands.

Lee said he appreciates the United States for its "goodwill" in insisting that it would first confirm Seoul's ability to defend itself and assume operational control before handing Opcon over to Seoul.

"It is something to be very grateful for, but I think it is something we should do on our own. It will go well," he said.

"[We] should definitely shoulder [our national defense] on our own, and I think we are sufficiently capable of doing so," Lee added.

The president said the government is taking various measures to strengthen the country's defense capabilities, stressing that the country has the world's fifth-strongest conventional military forces, excluding nuclear weapons.

"Military sovereignty may constitute a core pillar of national sovereignty. I think South Korea should promptly regain [Opcon] to secure the most basic condition as a country," he said.

Turning to the stock market, Lee said South Korean shares remain "significantly undervalued," citing lingering skepticism over market transparency and fairness as reasons for the undervaluation.

"I keep checking on what should be done in terms of policy to normalize the stock market," the president said, adding that he will take "necessary measures" after receiving relevant briefings from officials soon.

Yonhap