The government, which is pushing to transfer wartime operational control (OPCON) early, on the 5th again confirmed its plan to decide the final timing at the U.S.-Korea Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) this fall. It also plans to conduct some evaluations on whether the conditions for transfer have been met during this month's U.S.-Korea combined exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), as well.
The Ministry of National Defense said at a foreign affairs and security agencies briefing held at the Blue House that it would complete this year's roadmap for regaining OPCON and seek to verify the future combined forces command's full operational capability (FOC) and decide the timing for regaining OPCON at this year's SCM.
The backbone of the OPCON transfer is that if the FOC verification results for the future combined forces command are brought to the SCM to be held this fall, the U.S. and Korean defense ministers will approve them. After that, the plan is to recommend the target year for OPCON transfer to the commanders in chief of both countries.
The necessary conditions for OPCON transfer are: ▲ military capability to lead the combined defense ▲ the alliance's comprehensive response capability to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats ▲ a security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in the region that aligns with a stable transfer. To complete FOC verification, a certain level or higher must be achieved in the capability assessments for the first and second conditions. The Ministry of National Defense said it is consulting with the United States through various channels.
The Ministry of National Defense also said at the briefing that it would speed up the enactment of a special law within the year to build nuclear-powered submarines. Minister Ahn Gyu-baek said, "We will secure nuclear fuel in consultation with the United States and establish a nuclear fuel management system through consultations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), thereby putting legal and institutional foundations in place by 2027."
It will also push to strengthen independent deterrence by expanding high-yield missiles and fielding the KF-21. The plan is to field high-energy laser air-defense weapons in stages, starting in the early 2030s with a 50 kW class (counter-drone) and extending to a 1 MW class (counter-ballistic missile) in the 2040s.
It will continue to institutionalize standing combined component commands. The plan of the Ministry of National Defense is to complete the standing up of the Combined Special Operations Component Command (CSOCC) this year and finish the last remaining Combined Military Intelligence Support Operations Component Command (CMISOCC) next year.
Plans to improve treatment of officers were also reported. By 2029, it will gradually raise annual pay to 40 million won for first-year staff sergeants, 50 million won for sergeants first class, and 72 million won for master sergeants. Minister Ahn also said he would move up the target timing for the 40 million won staff sergeant salary by one year, from 2029 to 2028.
In addition, it said it would finalize within the year the relocation site for Gwangju military airport, which is the site of the Honam region semiconductor cluster. Muan County has been designated as a preliminary relocation candidate site, and the plan is to formally designate it as a candidate site this month, hold a resident hearing and a resident vote, and make a final decision within the year.