South Korea's Lee says wartime operational control must be recovered early
In short
President Lee Jae-myung said on 19 October that South Korea must recover wartime operational control (OPCON) early and is able to do so. He said talks with the United States are basically proceeding toward getting it back, though the process will not be easy. He spoke at a press briefing at the Chunchugwan press room in Cheong Wa Dae.
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President Lee Jae-myung said on 19 October that South Korea must recover wartime operational control early and can do so. At the Chunchugwan press room in Cheong Wa Dae he said consultations with the United States are basically going toward getting it back, while adding that the process will not be easy. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 9 , 11 ]
Lee spoke at a lunch and briefing with reporters marking 500 days of his government. Newsis reported that the briefing lasted about 90 minutes and covered diplomacy, security, real estate, the stock market, reform tasks and personnel. Asked about the U.S. Forces Korea commander Brunson (브런슨), who had recently mentioned a change in the conditions for the transfer, Lee reaffirmed his plan to bring control back early, according to Maeil Business and SBS. [ 7 , 8 , 11 ]
Lee said the word 'transfer' used until now should be replaced by 'recovery' or 'return', and called military sovereignty one of the core parts of sovereignty that South Korea needs to meet the minimum requirements of a state. He said control had been entrusted for more than 70 years, and that South Korea, given its economic, cultural and military standing, cannot leave the situation as it is. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 ]
On capability, Lee said South Korea should and can bear its own defence and that any shortfall should be filled. He said South Korea ranks fifth in the world in conventional military strength without nuclear forces and that its defence spending is about 1.5 times North Korea's annual gross product. Asked about North Korea's nuclear weapons, he said they are a last-resort defensive weapon. On the US stance of checking South Korea's ability to operate on its own before handing over control, he said he was grateful but that it is something South Korea should do itself. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 ]
On tension with Washington, Lee said it is not normal for states to have no problems and that differences between the National Intelligence Service and US intelligence agencies are small differences that arise as each protects its own national interest. Korea Economic Daily reported that he criticised opposition parties for attacking their own government. He said he had no information on US-North Korea dialogue on denuclearisation, and that he would soon meet farmers' groups over the CPTPP review. [ 2 , 7 , 8 ]
Dong-A Ilbo reported on 20 October that Seoul and Washington differ after the US stressed that conditions must be met, and that some criticise Lee's nuclear remark as downplaying the need to respond to a nuclear imbalance. Maeil Business reported that the OPCON question has set off a domestic political dispute over security. [ 14 , 15 ]
Why it matters
The remarks came after a recent comment by the U.S. Forces Korea commander on the conditions for the transfer, and Dong-A Ilbo reported that differences between Seoul and Washington had begun to surface. Domestic political argument over security also followed, according to Maeil Business.
Key facts
- On 19 October President Lee Jae-myung said wartime operational control must be recovered early, that South Korea can do so, and that talks with the US are basically going toward getting it back. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 9 , 11 ]
- Lee added that the process will not be easy. [ 3 , 9 , 11 ]
- He spoke at the Chunchugwan press room in Cheong Wa Dae, at a lunch and briefing with reporters marking 500 days of his government. [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Lee said the word 'transfer' used so far should be replaced by 'recovery' or 'return', calling military sovereignty one of the core parts of sovereignty. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 ]
- Lee said South Korea ranks fifth in the world in conventional military strength and that its defence spending is about 1.5 times North Korea's annual gross product. [ 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Asked about the recent remarks of the U.S. Forces Korea commander, Lee said he was grateful for the US position of checking South Korea's ability to operate on its own before handing over control, but that it is something South Korea should do itself. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 ]
- Lee said differences between South Korea's National Intelligence Service and US intelligence agencies are small differences arising as each protects its national interest. [ 2 , 7 , 11 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Lee said on 19 October that wartime operational control must be recovered early and that talks with the US are basically heading toward getting it back. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 ]
- Lee said South Korea should and can bear its own defence, and that any shortfall should be filled. [ 3 , 5 , 9 , 11 ]
- Lee said the nuclear weapons of North Korea are a last-resort defensive weapon. [ 7 , 9 , 11 , 14 ]
- Lee said disagreements with the US intelligence agencies are small differences that are manageable. [ 7 , 11 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the US position on conditions will delay the transfer Documents report that a US commander recently spoke of the conditions and that some read this as a brake on the handover, but only Lee's response is given; no US reply is quoted.
- Whether Lee's description of North Korea's nuclear weapons downplays the need to respond to them Dong-A Ilbo reported that some people criticise the remark as downplaying the need to respond to a nuclear imbalance; other outlets do not report this criticism.
- Lee's remarks on property taxes Only Korea Economic Daily reports his statement that taxes were not raised to curb house prices, so it is not corroborated by other documents.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap and Korea Economic Daily publish flash reports of Lee's remarks on 19 October. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Newsis publishes a fuller report saying the briefing lasted about 90 minutes and covered diplomacy, security, real estate and other issues. [ 11 ]
- On 20 October Dong-A Ilbo reports on Lee's remarks, noting that the US has stressed conditions. [ 14 ]
- On 20 October Maeil Business reports on the dispute over OPCON between Seoul and Washington and on domestic political argument over security. [ 15 ]