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Presidential office quickly nixes defense minister nominee's remarks on Opcon transfer

Published: 15 Jul. 2025, 19:13 Updated: 15 Jul. 2025, 19:58

Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back answers questions from lawmakers during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in western Seoul on July 15. [JUN MIN-KYU]

The presidential office quickly rejected Defense Minister nominee Ahn Gyu-back's remarks that wartime operational control (Opcon) should be transferred from the United States back to Korea within the Lee Jae Myung administration's term, calling them "Ahn's personal opinion."

The presidential office’s rare move to distance itself from the comment reflects the government’s cautious stance on the timeline for Opcon transfer, especially amid ongoing negotiations with the United States on reciprocal tariffs.

During a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly’s Defense Committee on Tuesday, Ahn said the government aims to complete the Opcon transfer “within the Lee Jae Myung administration” in response to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun about the expected timeline.

Yoon raised the question within the context of advocating for South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons, arguing that securing greater military capability would be necessary once Opcon is transferred. Ahn expressed skepticism about nuclear armament, citing international sanctions under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The controversy stems from Ahn’s specific mention of the current administration’s term as the target timeline, which could be interpreted as out of step with the government’s efforts to avoid premature debate over early transfer of Opcon.

Presidential office logo [NEWS1]

While acknowledging that the transfer should eventually take place, the presidential office has maintained a cautious stance on the timing. It previously denied claims that Opcon transfer was being discussed as part of a “package deal” with the United States linking tariffs and security, emphasizing that the issue is a long-term matter, not a newly raised concern.

The Democratic Party’s presidential campaign pledge only stated it would “pursue the transfer of wartime operational control based on a strong Korea-U.S. alliance,” without specifying a timeline.

Behind the caution is a calculation that turning the Opcon issue into a political controversy would do more harm than good. There are concerns within the ruling bloc that if the transfer becomes a political tool or is pushed forward without meeting necessary conditions, it could create security gaps.

The presidential office’s unusually swift rebuttal of a ministerial nominee’s remarks reflects these concerns. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the comments reflected Ahn’s “personal opinion as a nominee” and added, “The issue of Opcon transfer is not something our administration has suddenly brought up; it has been a matter considered by every government.”

Unification Minister nominee Chung Dong-young answers questions from lawmakers during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in western Seoul on July 15. [JUN MIN-KYU]

Ahn later clarified his remarks, telling the JoongAng Ilbo in a phone call that “meeting the conditions is more important than the timeline, and if the conditions are not met, the transfer cannot happen within this administration’s term.” During the hearing, he further explained that he was stating an intention or goal, not setting a deadline.

Nonetheless, criticisms arise within military circles that even if Ahn’s remarks were a slip of the tongue, they were careless and reflect a lack of understanding of the gravity of the issue.

Unification Minister nominee Chung Dong-young, during his confirmation hearing at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on Monday, underscored the government’s cautious stance, saying, “The direction and attitude toward the Opcon transfer are very important, but realistically it cannot happen within five years.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE KEUN-PYUNG, PARK HYUN-JU [[email protected]]