Bush reportedly agrees to transfer of wartime operational control

Timeline still not established, U.S. president says: source

Though tacit agreement on the matter has been assumed, U.S. President George W. Bush has officially come out in support of Seoul’s bid to exercise independent wartime operational control over its troops.

During a meeting called the ’Tank Conference,’ held at the Pentagon on Aug. 15, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Burwell B. Bell reported that South Korea has the capability to exercise wartime command, according to a high-ranking military source on Aug. 24. Bush said, "I agree," and directed administration members present at the meeting to support South Korea’s stance on the issue, the source added.

President Bush reaffirmed the U.S. would maintain troops in South Korea and that a four-star general would continue to lead the USFK even after the transfer of wartime operational control, the source said.

President Bush’s remark indicates that even after disbanding the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) following takeover of the wartime operational control, the U.S. will maintain the size and status of the USFK. Some opponents of transfer of wartime command, including former defense ministers, have raised concerns that it would result in an increasing uncertainty in security. A claim was also raised that as the number of USFK would be downsized by about 12,000, and that there would be a change to the current four-star general system.

This is the first time that President Bush mentioned the issue of South Korean wartime operational control.

"Regarding the negotiations over the transfer issue, Bush ordered the officials to provide whatever supports Seoul wants," said the source, adding that President Bush, however, said that the timeline of the transfer has not yet been decided.

USFK and Seoul have disagreed over the date upon which the handover would be fully effective, with the U.S. side asking for command transfer by 2009 and South Korea proposing 2012.

A military official in Seoul remarked, "Bush’s remarks can be interpreted as meaning that the two allies show mutual trust for negotiations over the wartime command or realignment of the Korea-U.S. partnership. Bush’s remarks show that not only Seoul but also Washington is positive regarding the transfer issue," the official added.

General Bell reportedly explained Bush’s direction to related South Korean ministries.

The two nations will discuss the command transfer issue at a South Korea-U.S. summit to be held in Washington on Sept. 14. The Ministry of National Defense plans to reach to agreement over a roadmap of the transfer at the ROK-U.S. Security Policy Initiative (SPI) meeting at the end of next month and announce the final results at the Security Consultative Meeting between the two nations in October. A roadmap for the plan’s implementation is scheduled to be established by the first half of next year.