"Previous 'early transfer' language expressed our will"

"We will achieve successful results through top-down approach"

Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na [Yonhap]
Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na [Yonhap]

South Korea's Defense Ministry said Thursday that an agreement reached at a South Korea-US defense ministers' meeting to cooperate on a "timely" transfer of wartime operational control "does not mean delaying the transfer."

Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeong Bit-na told a briefing that the phrase refers to "the most appropriate moment at which a successful transfer is possible, taking comprehensive account of the conditions necessary for the transfer and the readiness of both South Korea and the United States."

Asked about the previous use of the phrase "early transfer," Jeong said it should be understood that "the transfer of operational control is a goal our military has pursued for decades, and the expressions 'early' and 'swift transfer' were used to convey our government's determination to that end."

Defense Minister Kang Shin-cheol met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Cebu, the Philippines, on Wednesday, agreeing to hold bilateral talks in Washington at the end of this year and, on that basis, to convene next year's Security Consultative Meeting (SCM).

Jeong described the arrangement as a "two-step approach," saying the ministry aims to "produce successful results through a top-down approach in which the defense ministers set the policy direction and coordinate key issues based on assessments by military authorities."

"Through the South Korea-US defense ministers' consultations in December, we will solidify a shared understanding on key matters, and on that basis make a final decision at the SCM early next year," Jeong added. "The intent is to raise the completeness and enforceability of the agreement."

The South Korean readout from the defense ministers' meeting included the phrase "it is important to successfully hold the historic 58th SCM," and a Defense Ministry official said the word "historic" was used by the US side. The US side also used the expression that this SCM should be a "definitive" or "decisive" one on at least two occasions, the official said.

However, the two-step approach can also be read as a sign that significant differences between the two sides' military authorities remain — enough that the defense ministers need to meet again in person to work them out.


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