World · East Asia & Pacific · 12 hrs ago
US Reaffirms Existing Agreement on Wartime Command Transfer, South Korean Lawmaker Says
South Korean lawmaker Jin Sung-joon says US officials reaffirmed the agreement on transferring wartime command between the two countries.
The transfer is based on agreed conditions, which Jin said have not changed.
He made the comments after leading a South Korean parliamentary delegation to US military headquarters in Hawaii.
The bilateral defense ministers’ meeting was postponed until next year, but US officials said the delay was due to scheduling, not disagreement over the transfer.
US officials described the Korean Peninsula as stable but said military vigilance remains necessary given North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile capabilities.
On a proposed move of the Gwangju military airport to Muan, a US Air Force general said the relocation is a sovereign decision for South Korea, with the US offering advice on security risks.
A US Navy admiral also said the US would cooperate on a nuclear-powered submarine if the two countries make a policy decision.
South Korean lawmaker Jin Seong-jun said the United States reaffirmed that existing agreements on transferring wartime operational control remain unchanged.
He said US officials also confirmed that the conditions for the transfer had not changed.
Jin said the postponement of the annual Security Consultative Meeting was unrelated to any disagreement over the transfer.
He made the comments on November 8 after leading a South Korean National Assembly delegation to US military facilities in Hawaii.
He also said US officials viewed the relocation of the Gwangju military airbase as a sovereign decision for South Korea.
- Who
- Jin Seong-jun, chair of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, reported the discussions. US officials took part.
- What
- Jin said the United States reaffirmed existing agreements on transferring wartime operational control and that the conditions had not changed.
- When
- Jin reported the results on November 8, 2026, after a visit from November 1 to 5.
- Where
- The delegation visited the US military’s Pacific Command and subordinate commands in Hawaii; Jin gave his report at the National Assembly in Seoul.
- Why
- The delegation visited to discuss alliance issues, including wartime operational control and ways to strengthen the South Korea-US alliance.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Jin said he was notified by the United States that his visa application had been denied.
Jin received a US official visa after South Korean diplomatic authorities requested assistance.
Jin led a National Assembly defense delegation to US military facilities in Hawaii.
Jin reported the delegation’s discussions at a press conference at the National Assembly.
- Delegation leader
- Jin Seong-jun, chair of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee
- Visit dates
- November 1–5, 2026
- Location visited
- US military’s Pacific Command and subordinate commands in Hawaii
- Wartime command transfer
- Existing agreement and conditions unchanged, according to Jin
- Security Consultative Meeting
- Postponement to the following year was unrelated to disagreement over the transfer, Jin said
3 sources
What people are saying
The existing agreement between South Korea and the United States has not changed, and we confirmed that the conditions have not changed so far.
The agreement to implement a conditions-based transfer of wartime operational control remains unchanged.
The airbase relocation is a sovereign decision of the South Korean government, and the US military’s role is to review and advise on military threats resulting from the relocation.