South Korean President Lee vows to regain wartime operational control by 2028

President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to reclaim wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korea’s armed forces from the United States by 2028. During a Cabinet meeting held alongside the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, Lee emphasized that South Korea’s military strength and self-defense capabilities are already among the world’s elite, making the transfer of command a viable goal within his term.

In a move toward diplomacy, Lee endorsed renewed outreach to North Korea, positioning Seoul as a “pacemaker” for Washington-Pyongyang relations. To facilitate dialogue, he supported scaling back the scale and duration of Korea-US military exercises. While Lee aims to reduce military tensions, he also committed to bolstering national defense, including a target to move defense spending toward 3.5 percent of GDP and accelerating the construction of nuclear-powered submarines.

North Korean official Kim Yo-jong dismissed the reduction in military drills as insufficient, maintaining that the allies' military posture remains fundamentally hostile. Meanwhile, Donald Trump expressed expectations of meeting Kim Jong-un later this year.