President Lee Jae Myung said Friday South Korea will swiftly take steps for its planned retaking of wartime operational control of its military from the United States and speed up military reforms, including selective conscription.
Lee made the remarks during a meeting with top military brass at the defense ministry in Seoul, where he called on the armed forces to step up their readiness posture to cope with a "grave" security situation amid a prolonged war in the Middle East and movements by North Korea to install iron fences inside the northern side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
"Self-reliant defense capability is essential to respond to the rapidly changing security environment," Lee said. "The retaking of wartime operational control will be swiftly pursued."
Lee has placed renewed emphasis on regaining operational control as part of broader efforts to strengthen self-reliant defense amid North Korea's advancing military capabilities and growing geopolitical uncertainties, while Washington calls for allies to assume a greater share of defense responsibilities.
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