Regarding the change in conditions for the transfer of wartime operational control, the US says, “Conditions must be met quickly for conversion.”

National Defense Commission Chairman Jin Seong-jun calls Brunson's 'Southern Limit Line' remarks "contrary to our Constitution"

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Pyeong-cheon = The Democratic Party of Korea emphasized on the 17th that in relation to the change in conditions for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) by Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Forces Korea Xavier Brunson, "There is no change in our basic position that the conditions must be quickly met and converted."

When reporters asked about Commander Brunson's "OPCON statement" at the National Assembly on this day, floor spokesperson Kim Seong-hoe said, "We will cooperate with the Ministry of Defense and work hard to ensure that the conditions for (transition) are well met."

Earlier, in a keynote speech at a seminar hosted by the U.S. think tank 'Gold Institute for International Strategic Studies' held in Washington, D.C. on the 14th (local time), Commander Brunson said regarding the transfer of wartime operational control, "Conditions have changed and we have changed our plans, so there are new standards that we must adhere to."

Regarding this, there was an interpretation that while the Lee Jae-myung administration is promoting the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) as a national task within its term (2030), the commander of US Forces Korea has effectively put the brakes on it.

In relation to this, Rep. Kim Byeong-ju of the Democratic Party, special adviser to the President on defense policy, commented on Commander Brunson's remarks on MBC Radio the previous day, saying, "There is an intention to delay the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), and there is also an intention to export American weapons."

He pointed out, “The Korean military lacks this capability, so if we are told to equip it, we have to import (weapons) from the United States,” and added, “(The United States) hides this purpose and keeps talking about strengthening the conditions (for the transfer of wartime operational control), but I think Brunson has gone too far this time.”

Meanwhile, Democratic Party lawmaker Jin Seong-jun, chairman of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, took issue with the territorial awareness of Commander Brunson, who also serves as commander of the United Nations Command, on Facebook.

Rep. Jin pointed out, “Commander Brunson said at a seminar on the 14th, ‘From the perspective of the United Nations Command, the Republic of Korea begins at the southern barbed wire fence line,’” adding, “This is a statement that the territory of the Republic of Korea begins at the southern limit line of the demilitarized zone.”

He continued, “This is contrary to our Constitution, which defines the territory of the Republic of Korea as the Korean Peninsula and its affiliated islands,” and emphasized, “We must correct the UN commander’s perception of denying the territorial sovereignty of the Republic of Korea.”