▲ President Lee Jae-myung speaks at the 1st Ulchi Cabinet Meeting held at the Blue House on the 18th.
President Lee Jae-myung stated, "The transfer of wartime operational control (opcon) within my term must be pursued without any disruption, in accordance with the government's initial plan."
During his opening remarks at the Ulchi Cabinet Meeting—held at the Blue House to coincide with the South Korea-U.S. joint regular military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS)—President Lee made the remarks, noting, "To build an even stronger national defense, the all-round advancement of operational capabilities is essential."
President Lee's remarks came amid speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump's "instructions to scale down South Korea-U.S. joint exercises" could affect the timeline for the wartime operational control transfer and other defense initiatives.
The remarks can be interpreted as President Lee's strong commitment to unswervingly push forward key defense pledges, including the opcon transfer, through close coordination between South Korea and the United States.
Furthermore, President Lee explained, "South Korea is ranked 5th in the world in military power and is also evaluated as a global top 4 powerhouse in defense industry capabilities. Our defense spending level reaches 1.4 times South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP), which can be considered North Korea's actual national capacity."
He added, "In terms of weapon systems and force size, our capacity to defend ourselves ranks among the top globally, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is 'more than enough,'" highlighting that the conditions for self-reliant defense are fully in place.
Along with the wartime operational control transfer, President Lee also requested that preparations for the establishment of an integrated Armed Forces Academy proceed "without wavering."
President Lee stated, "Recent warfare patterns are evolving into a hybrid form where conventional combat, terrorism, and cyberattacks operate in complex combinations," adding, "We must make thorough preparations against security threats so that not the slightest loophole occurs. To prepare for future warfare where the distinction of battlefields has become meaningless, we must foster officers equipped with integrated operational capabilities."
At the same time, he emphasized that a firm South Korea-U.S. alliance must serve as the backbone.
President Lee explained, "A solid South Korea-U.S. alliance and the reinforcement of self-reliant defense capabilities are mutual 'necessary and sufficient conditions.' A robust alliance will make the foundation of security even stronger, and when we build up our own strength, the value and necessity of the alliance will grow even greater."
He then instructed, "Please also accelerate the pursuit of the nuclear-powered submarine project, which will symbolize a more constructive and robust future for the South Korea-U.S. alliance."
This message can also be seen as emphasizing that there will be no abnormalities in defense cooperation between the two countries, despite President Trump's remarks on "scaling down South Korea-U.S. joint exercises."
In addition, senior presidential secretary for public relations Kang Yu-jung stated in a written briefing that right before the Cabinet meeting, President Lee presided over a plenary meeting of the Ulchi National Security Council (NSC) to review total national defense execution capabilities for wartime situations, agency-by-agency wartime transition procedures, and response measures.
At the meeting, President Lee urged, "Creating peace where there is no need to fight is more important than anything, but preparation for the worst-case scenario is also necessary," adding, "Please conduct the Ulchi exercise so that it serves as a practical rehearsal for protecting our citizens in emergencies and ensuring national security."
Senior Secretary Kang also stated that the Ulchi exercise is defensive in nature to protect the lives and safety of our citizens, making it clear that we have no intention of attacking North Korea or heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula through it.
Against this backdrop, he also emphasized that the fundamental purpose of the Ulchi exercise is not to be hostile toward a specific target, but to protect the safe and peaceful daily lives of our citizens.
President Lee further instructed that the Ulchi exercise should not simply repeat past practices, but should be prepared as practical preparedness drills at the level of total national defense that reflect recent warfare patterns and fit reality.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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