USFK commander says shifting conditions demand caution on OPCON handover to Seoul

During the Indo-Pacific Summit hosted by the Gold Institute for International Strategy, Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, asserted that the security landscape has changed, pointing to North Korea’s recent tactical ballistic missile tests over the East Sea as evidence. He reiterated that the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea must satisfy the pre-set conditions and warned that political pressure should not dictate the timeline.

Although he expressed support for the OPCON handover, Brunson cautioned against violating the agreed criteria, noting that “time” itself is a condition. When asked about the post-transfer structure of the U.S.-South Korea Combined Forces Command, he admitted the format is still under discussion but must reinforce the alliance. Seoul seeks to assume OPCON before the end of the Lee Jae Myung administration in 2030, possibly as early as next year, while Washington remains hesitant. Both governments are considering pushing the high-level Security Consultative Meeting from its usual October-November window to December amid these debates.