South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung has renewed calls for wartime military command to be controlled in Seoul, after Donald Trump ordered the reduction of this week’s joint drills with the United States. Speaking on Tuesday, Lee said Seoul should continue efforts to take over wartime operational control, known as Opcon, from the US during his term. He also urged faster progress on South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine programme and on training officers for integrated operations. US Cuts Joint exercises This WeekOn Sunday night, Trump directed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the joint exercises running this week. He said North Korea, which possesses nuclear weapons, had been “unthreatening and respectful”, and he pointed to what he described as a strong personal relationship with Kim Jong-un. The drills, which began on Monday, were due to last 10 days under the name Ulchi Freedom Shield. They are one of two main annual exercise series between the US and South Korea. They were expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean troops, working alongside US personnel and contingents from 11 of the 18 member states of the United Nations Command (UNC). The UNC is the multinational body overseeing the 1953 armistice that stopped the Korean War. US and South Korean military officials have said the exercises were designed to evolve in response to changing threats, including lessons North Korea has drawn from its recent battlefield involvement abroad. Why Opcon Control Is CentralLee said Seoul should proceed without disruption with the planned Opcon transfer. Wartime Opcon is the authority to direct South Korean forces if fighting resumes. The issue traces back to the Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty in 1953. As a result, the two Koreas remain technically at war, and US troops have stayed in South Korea since the conflict. The country hosts Camp Humphreys, the largest American base outside the United States. The two militaries train and operate together closely, including during large-scale annual exercises. Since the war began, wartime Opcon has been held by the US, exercised through the Combined Forces Command. The head of that command has always been an American four-star general. South Korea regained peacetime control of its military in 1994, but wartime authority has remained a long-running symbol of sovereignty. Reclaiming it has been a top security goal for more than two decades, repeatedly delayed under successive governments. This week’s exercise schedule was intended to support certification for South Korea’s eventual assumption of wartime command, a process Lee has pushed to accelerate since taking office. Lee also called for quicker advancement of the nuclear-powered submarine programme and efforts to develop officers able to coordinate across units for future conflicts. North’s Tactics And South’s DenialsThe renewed focus on command and capability comes after Trump’s decision to curtail the drills at a time when he has sought diplomacy with Kim. During questioning in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said Kim had responded to his order to the Pentagon, but he did not provide details. When asked about the stage of discussions, Trump described them as “very positive” without elaboration. He repeated praise for Kim, saying he believed their relationship had reduced tensions. Trump previously halted major exercises after summits with Kim. Following his first summit in 2018, the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise was cancelled, while other drills were suspended or scaled back. Exercises were later redesigned and resumed under modified formats and changed names. The US decision also came despite warnings from US and South Korean military officials that Kim’s government could apply new battlefield tactics learned from sending troops to Ukraine. Last week, officials said Ulchi Freedom Shield would include aspects reflecting North Korea’s experience with drones. North Korea has also deepened military links with Russia since they signed a strategic partnership pact in June 2024, with Pyongyang providing troops, artillery ammunition and ballistic missiles for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Col Ryan Donald, public affairs director for the US-led commands in South Korea, said the training accounts for those changes and that exercises have evolved over the past five years. On Tuesday, South Korea’s presidential office said the drills did not signal any intention to attack North Korea or to escalate tensions on the peninsula. It added that the fundamental purpose was not to treat any side as an adversary, but to safeguard the safe and peaceful daily lives of people. Join the discussion? 18 August 2026
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