Speaking to reporters at Incheon International Airport before his departure to the United States, An noted that U.S. and South Korean officials made considerable progress on the transfer of wartime operational control based on conditions agreed upon in 2015.
An will meet with high-ranking officials, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, during his visit to the U.S., which marks his first trip since taking office in July 2022.
On May 11 (local time), An is scheduled to hold talks with Hegseth in Washington, D.C., and will also meet with other U.S. government and congressional officials, including the acting Secretary of the Navy, the Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman and Ranking Member, and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower.
In 2015, during the 47th Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), the two countries agreed on a 'conditions-based transfer of wartime operational control plan' (COTP) and have been working toward this transfer since then.
When asked about the direction in which the two countries are seeking to find common ground on the wartime operational control issue, An referred to the agreement made during last year's 57th SCM to finalize the target year for the transfer by the end of this year, stating, "That is also one of the key issues during this visit to the U.S."
The government of President Lee Jae-myung is pushing for the transfer of wartime operational control as a national agenda, aiming for 2028 as the target year for the transfer before the current U.S. administration's term ends.
The government is reportedly working to set the 2028 target year after completing the second phase of evaluation and verification procedures for the transfer, which involves verifying the full operational capability (FOC) of the future combined military command. This would be approved by the defense ministers of both countries at the SCM in October.
Regarding cooperation on the construction of nuclear-powered submarines, An emphasized the importance of implementing follow-up measures agreed upon by the leaders of both countries, stating, "It is crucial to fulfill our promises and discuss mutual cooperation between South Korea and the U.S."
When asked if an initial negotiation could be expected within the first half of the year, he responded, "Of course," adding, "Regardless of any difficulties, I believe this issue must be resolved between the military authorities of South Korea and the U.S."
He further noted, "In the past, South Korea and the U.S. have had no significant issues in fulfilling promises and procedures, and if the U.S. provides some support regarding fuel, there should be no major problems in proceeding with the construction process."
Last year, during a joint fact sheet, the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. agreed to cooperate on the construction of South Korea's nuclear-powered submarines, but subsequent negotiations have not progressed significantly. Observers have noted that other issues, such as the Coupang matter, have negatively impacted the progress of these negotiations.
During An's visit to the U.S., a meeting of the 'Integrated Defense Consultative Body' (KIDD), which includes deputy ministers from both countries' defense authorities, will also be held in Washington, D.C., on May 12-13.
Last month, South Korea's chief diplomatic representative for North Korea, Jeong Yeon-du, and Cho Hyun-woo, the security strategy secretary at the Blue House, visited Washington, D.C.
A Defense Ministry official stated that this visit aims to facilitate direct communication at a high level to review the implementation of agreements from the Korea-U.S. summit and the SCM, noting that wartime operational control and nuclear-powered submarines will be key issues for discussion.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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