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U.S. 'very much' supports Korean lead in conventional defense against North, official says

Published: 28 Oct. 2025, 20:27

Korean and U.S. troops take part in a joint river-crossing exercise near the Namhan River in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 27. [YONHAP]

The United States “very much” supports South Korea doing more to lead conventional defense against North Korea, a senior U.S. defense official said on Tuesday, as Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration seeks to retake wartime operational control (Opcon) from Washington by the end of its term in 2030.

The official made the remarks in a press briefing as U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back are set to discuss Opcon transition efforts when they meet for the two countries' annual defense ministerial talks, called the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), in Seoul on Nov. 4.

“We very much support [South Korea] doing more to lead its conventional defense in deterrence against the [North]. We support those efforts,” the official said during the briefing to the press traveling with him on his trip to Asia that includes stops in Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea.

The official added that Seoul and Washington have had “extensive” discussions on how Korea can assume the “primary” responsibility for the alliance's conventional defense against the North.

“We understand that taking wartime Opcon is a priority of President Lee, and Secretary Hegseth very much looks forward to discussing this issue with Minister Ahn at the SCM,” he said.

Observers said that Seoul's push to regain Opcon may not face serious opposition from Washington, given that the handover would mean Korea leading wartime operations in a combined defense structure — a change that could ease a security burden for the United States.

Seoul and Washington have been working on the “conditions-based” Opcon transfer. Conditions include Korea's capabilities to lead combined Korea-U.S. forces, its strike and air defense capabilities and a regional security environment conducive to such a handover.

Korea handed over operational control of its troops to the U.S.-led UN Command during the Korean War (1950-1953). Control was then transferred to the two allies' Combined Forces Command when the command was launched in 1978. Wartime operational control remains in U.S. hands, while Korea retook peacetime Opcon in 1994.

Asked if a U.S. troop reduction in Korea is under consideration, the official said that the Pentagon does not have any announcements to share on changes to force posture in Korea at this time.

Yonhap