Lee vows to regain OPCON, says talks with US are ‘making good progress’

President Lee Jae Myung checks his watch while waiting for the head of the World Bank at the Blue House on Oct. 19, 2026. (Yonhap)

President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that Korea should take back wartime operational control (OPCON) of its forces “as soon as possible,” calling the goal “quite achievable” and saying talks with Washington to that end are “fundamentally making good progress.”

In a 90-minute press conference held during a surprise visit to the Blue House press center, the president acknowledged military sovereignty as a core component of national sovereignty, and said OPCON “must be swiftly returned for Korea to meet the minimum requirements as a state.” 

“Until now we have used the expression ‘OPCON transfer,’ but phrases such as ‘return’ or ‘recovery’ would be more appropriate,” he went on to say. “Leaving OPCON in the hands of another country and relying [on that nation] is certainly not something we can just let stand.”

These remarks appear to be an affirmation of Lee’s intent to recover OPCON after the controversy sparked by the commander of US Forces Korea, Gen. Xavier Brunson, made comments last week that conditions for the transfer had “changed.” The Korean government has set the goal of having OPCON returned by 2028.

Lee went on to address the differing views between the intelligence agencies of both nations. 

“I would be remiss to say that our National Intelligence Service and US intelligence agencies are 100% seeing eye to eye in a manner akin to parents, siblings or a happy couple,” the president said before clarifying: “I think it’s a small disagreement born out of the process of both countries protecting their national interests. It’s certainly manageable.” 

On the question of Korea joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), an issue that has seen pushback from farmers, the president pledged to postpone the year-end application.

Lee also stressed the importance of a “structural majority” for keeping the Democratic Party in power.  

“The democratic and reform camps are a minority when it comes to power relations,” he said. “No matter how much we band together, if moderates and reasonable conservatives come together on the other side, there is no way [for us] to remain in power. We have to move in a direction that moderates and reasonable conservatives can get on board with. That’s what a structural majority means in my view,” he said. 

Turning to law and order, the president acknowledged the lack of available resources due to responding to the 2024 insurrection, but advised that such difficulties “will be resolved shortly” and stated action will be taken to appoint a National Police Agency commissioner, a position that has sat vacant for 22 months, since December 2024. 

On the stock market, Lee noted he would soon receive a comprehensive report and “take necessary measures.” The president also alluded to social media as his “lifeline” and expressed an intention to improve communication.