South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (R) and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (L) shake hands prior to the 57th Security Consultative Meeting at the defense ministry in Seoul, South Korea, 04 November 2025. YONHAP / EPA
Aug. 6 (Asia Today) -- South Korean and U.S. military authorities are accelerating efforts to formally establish a target year for the transfer of wartime operational control at the allies' annual defense talks in Washington in October.
South Korea's Defense Ministry plans to use the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, scheduled for Aug. 17-27, to effectively complete an assessment of the future Combined Forces Command's full operational capability.
The results would then be reported to the two countries' commanders in chief.
The ministry formally presented its plan for the recovery of wartime operational control and other major defense initiatives during a foreign and national security policy briefing at the presidential office Wednesday.
