Wartime OPCON Transition and the ROK-U.S. Alliance

Abstract

The wartime Operational Control (OPCON) transition of Republic of Korea (ROK) forces from the command of the United States to the command of the Republic of Korea that was decided upon during the Roh Moo-hyun Government (2003-2008) has progressed continuously during the Lee Myung-bak government and the Obama administration. This OPCON transition has been a historical turning point for converting "The ROK-U.S. Combined Defense System" that has maintained security for half a century into "A ROK-Supported, U.S.-Supporting Defense System." This paper reviews the history of the ROK-U.S. alliance, the background of the wartime OPCON transition, the Northeast Asia security environment, and the progress of the transition. The paper also will address related challenges and make several recommendations for continuing the successful transition and strengthening the ROK-U.S. alliance.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA589521

Entities

People

  • Young S. Hwang

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Counter WMD
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Asia
  • Defense Systems
  • Education
  • Governments
  • International Organizations
  • Military Organizations
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Northeast Asia
  • Political Systems
  • Security
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Strategic Security Studies