The Transition of Wartime Operational Control for Entering a New Era

Abstract

The launch of an ROK-led combined defense system and the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) will be an epochal moment in the ROK？U.S. alliance and signal the start of a new era. The study provides a historical review of OPCON, addresses the significance of wartime OPCON transition, and examines contending views on the ROK-U.S. command structure. The article analyzes the tenets and roadmap for the OPCON from a tripartite perspective, including citizens, the government, and the military. ROK-U.S. strategic communication and a gradual transition are then discussed. The study concludes by exploring the actualization of a self-reliant national defense as a sovereign state, the commencement of an ROK-led future Combined Forces Command, and mutual relations among ROK JCS, Future CFC, UNC, and USFK, along with policy recommendations.