hankyoreh

By Kim Kyu-won, staff reporter

The US responded unenthusiastically to a request from Seoul to once again postpone the transfer of wartime operational control to South Korea.

The South Korean government’s original goal was to reach an agreement on another postponement by October, but that outcome is looking less and less likely.

Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin discussed the issue on Aug. 28 during a talk with US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel at the Empire Hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei and ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting. Hagel reportedly expressed no agreement or sympathy with the request.

After the talk, Kim told reporters, “As far as the need to once again postpone the transfer of wartime operational control, there were things we both acknowledged and things where we differed. We plan to achieve a consensus through discussions in the future.”

He added that no date had been set for the postponement.

“We plan to evaluate the necessary conditions for another postponement,” Kim said.

Wi Yong-sup, deputy Ministry of National Defense spokesperson, said, “It wasn’t a case of the two defense ministers agreeing on another postponement. A bit more discussion and time will be needed to reach an agreement.”

Hagel in particular expressed skepticism. Wi quoted him as saying that it was “not a matter for the Defense Department to decide by itself” and that “military and diplomatic issues are mixed,” requiring “discussions between heads of state.”

Now it appears likely no agreement will be reached at the Oct. 2 Security Consultative Meeting, which Seoul had set as a date for the deciding on the postponement. Indeed, there is a chance discussions will continue without a resolution of the issue past the end of the year, or perhaps longer.

During the talk, Kim explained the reason and conditions for the request to Hagel, who expressed understanding, the ministry reported.

In particular, Kim cited three main conditions: reevaluation of the current and future security situation on the Korean Peninsula at the time of the transfer, the level of South Korean response to North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles, and the South Korean military’s ability to actually exercise wartime operational control.

Kim also cited North Korea’s third nuclear test and long-range rocket launch as reasons behind the request, the ministry reported.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]