# South Korean defense policy and ROK-U.S. alliance debates > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-defense-policy-and-rok-us-alliance-debates > Updated: 2026-10-27T07:51:06.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2. During a National Assembly audit, South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul addressed several strategic priorities, including the proposal for a national military medical school to address shortages of military doctors. He also discussed the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korean leadership, noting that Seoul and Washington are consulting to determine a transition year once Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification is complete. Following these discussions, Minister Kang faced significant political criticism after questioning whether South Korea could “really trust the U.S. military” in the event of a war with North Korea. Lawmakers argued these remarks could undermine the long-standing alliance and impact national security. Regarding the OPCON timeline, the government intends to finalize the transfer timing during the Security Consultative Meeting scheduled for December. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-27: South Korean Defense Minister faces criticism over OPCON and alliance remarks South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul faces backlash for questioning U.S. military reliability and discussing the timeline for the transfer of wartime operational control. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korean-politicians-criticize-defense-minister-over-us-alliance-remarks ### 2026-10-26: South Korean Defense Minister discusses military medical school and wartime command transition South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul proposed a new military medical school to address doctor shortages and confirmed ongoing ROK-U.S. consultations regarding the transition of wartime operational控制. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korean-defense-minister-discusses-military-medical-school-and-wartime-command-transition --- Cite as: South Korean defense policy and ROK-U.S. alliance debates. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-defense-policy-and-rok-us-alliance-debates