Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek announced on the 5th that there has been “significant progress” in discussions regarding the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) during a meeting of the U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. It was suggested that the upcoming joint statement from the SCM might include details on completing the Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification phase, part of the OPCON transfer process. There was also a discussion about constructing nuclear-powered submarines domestically being a suitable approach.
During a meeting in the National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, Minister Ahn acknowledged significant progress in recognizing the Korean military’s leading capabilities in discussions with Secretary Hegseth. The OPCON transfer includes three steps: Initial Operational Capability (IOC) verification, FOC verification, and Full Mission Capability (FMC) verification. The FOC evaluation has been completed, and the verification process is underway.
When asked if FMC verification could be completed by 2029, Ahn responded that this judgment requires political consideration and could be expedited with additional defense funding and conditions. However, he did not confirm if the FOC would be completed by next year.
It is anticipated that the SCM joint statement may specify the OPCON transfer schedule, though Ahn did not confirm this. An official announcement will be made after the Korea-U.S. summit’s joint fact sheet is released.
There is a belief among military circles that Korea and the U.S. aim to complete the FOC verification next year. Completing it would allow for the FMC phase to begin, potentially achieving OPCON transfer before the current administration’s term ends in 2029.
Additionally, Minister Ahn expressed the viewpoint that submarines should be built domestically, aligning with Korea’s 30-year history of technical accumulation and research. He noted shortcomings in U.S. shipyard capacity.
Furthermore, he mentioned a change in terminology within the government, referring to “nuclear-powered submarines” as “nuclear propulsion submarines” to emphasize peaceful use and avoid associations with nuclear weapons.