Speaking at an annual seminar hosted by the Gold Institute for International Strategy in Washington, D.C., Brunson cautioned against calls to speed up the transfer process.
He said he could not support a transfer that would undermine his ability to defend the people of South Korea and the U.S., citing North Korea's latest missile launches as evidence of the changing security environment. Even a cursory look at the news, he added, would show that "the conditions have changed."
Brunson's remarks come amid differences between Seoul and Washington over the timing of the transfer. Seoul seeks to regain wartime control before President Lee Jae-myung's five-year term ends in 2030, with some pushing to complete the process as early as next year. Washington, however, has expressed reservations about accelerating the process.
He stressed that the handover of wartime control must be based on agreed conditions including an assessment of South Korean forces' capabilities to lead combined operations, rather than a fixed political timetable. But he added that the decision on when to proceed with the transfer does not rest with him.
Meanwhile, Seoul and Washington are reportedly considering postponing their annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), usually held in late October or early November, until December.
The potential delay has fueled speculation that the two sides may struggle to reach agreement on the transfer and other issues amid South Korea's recent defense ministerial reshuffle and the upcoming U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3.
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