Army Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok has taken office as the Korean deputy commanding general at the Korea-U.S. Combined Division, becoming the first female South Korean general to hold the post. She assumed the role in early January following her promotion to one-star general in last month's military reshuffle. Moon is widely regarded as an expert in combined defense and operations.
Army Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok, commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1997, has built a career in the military. As a lieutenant colonel, she contributed to efforts at a new combined defense group under the Joint Chiefs of Staff to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington as part of Seoul's initiative.
Military officials note that Moon is recognized as an expert in combined defense and operations. In her statement, she said: "At a critical juncture of Seoul's efforts to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington, I would like to contribute to improving operational interoperability between the allies."
South Korea aims to regain OPCON from the U.S. within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term ending in 2030 to build a self-reliant national defense. The allies have agreed to pursue certification of "full operational capability" this year, the second phase of a three-phase program to assess Seoul's ability to lead combined forces.
This appointment marks progress in gender equality within the South Korean military and symbolizes strengthened Korea-U.S. alliance ties. Moon's role is expected to bolster Korean leadership in the OPCON transition process.
