Korea seeks OPCON transfer breakthrough via presidential office-level talks: source

Korea is seeking a breakthrough in its push to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States through a top-level political decision between their presidential offices, a source familiar with the matter said Thursday. The move comes as Seoul and Washington appear to have different views on the timing of the U.S. handing over wartime command to its ally, even though the two sides have agreed on the broader road map for the OPCON transition. Korea is seeking to regain wartime OPCON before President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term ends in 2030, amid speculation it is targeting 2028 for the transfer. But the U.S. reportedly favors a more cautious timeline. "Our position is that OPCON is an issue that requires a political and policy-wise decision, and that it should be addressed at a 'house-to-house' level," a source told Yonhap News Agency, referring to Cheong Wa Dae and the White House. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back's visit to Washington earlier this week for talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was partly intended to elevate the OPCON transfer issue to the minis

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