President Lee Jae-myung said on Friday that South Korea will swiftly retake wartime operational control from the United States and accelerate military reforms including selective conscription. Speaking at a meeting with top military leaders in Seoul, he urged forces to heighten readiness amid a 'grave' security situation involving a prolonged Middle East war and North Korea's border fortifications in the DMZ. He stressed self-reliant defense while maintaining the Korea-U.S. alliance.
SEOUL (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae-myung said Friday South Korea will swiftly pursue retaking wartime operational control of its military from the United States and accelerate reforms, including selective conscription.
Lee made the remarks during a meeting with top military brass at the defense ministry in Seoul. He called for heightened readiness to address a "grave" security situation amid a prolonged war in the Middle East and North Korea's installation of iron fences and anti-tank barriers along the Military Demarcation Line inside the DMZ.
"Self-reliant defense capability is essential to respond to the rapidly changing security environment," Lee said. "The retaking of wartime operational control will be swiftly pursued."
North Korean troops have been observed reinforcing the border since April last year. "The military's top priority is to maintain the highest level of readiness to respond to any provocation or threat," Lee added. "(I) urge the military to maintain a robust combined defense posture based on the Korea-U.S. alliance."
The handover depends on South Korea leading combined forces, securing advanced strike and missile defense capabilities, and a stable regional environment, as assessed in this month's Freedom Shield exercise.
Lee also pushed reforms for modern warfare, proposing selective conscription that retains 18-21 months mandatory service for men but allows choices between standard duty and tech-specialized roles to tackle recruitment shortfalls and high-tech needs.
