South Korea aims to regain wartime command from US within Lee's term: Defence Minister nominee
Ahn made the remarks during a parliamentary confirmation hearing as South Korea seeks to retake it at a time when US President Donald Trump's administration has been urging Seoul and other allies to take on a greater security burden. Retaking wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington was among Lee's campaign pledges.
"Through a periodic evaluation between South Korea and the US since 2006, I believe our military has made considerable accomplishments through strenuous efforts," Ahn said, hinting that the South Korean military has made progress in meeting conditions for the transition.
Seoul and Washington have been working on the "conditions-based" OPCON transfer. Conditions include South Korea's capabilities to lead combined Korea-US forces, its strike and air defence capabilities, and a regional security environment conducive to such a handover.
The OPCON transfer was supposed to occur in 2015 but was postponed, as the allies agreed in 2014 to a conditions-based handover -- rather than a timeline-based one -- due to Pyongyang's advancing nuclear and missile threats.
Ahn pledged to militarily support the government's push to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and mend strained ties with North Korea.
The minister nominee emphasised the importance of leaving doors open for engagement with the North.
"While establishing deterrence based on immense military power, a door for dialogue to ease tension and build trust should be left open," Ahn said, vowing to seek "strength-based" and "sustainable" peace.
Still, he stated North Korea remains South Korea's "main enemy," and that combined drills between South Korea and the US should continue.
"Our main enemy is North Korea, since the North has vigilantly sought to target us since the Korean War," Ahn said.
"As a country that is rooted in a South Korea-US combined defence system, drills should take place in any case."
Ahn's remarks drew a contrast from Unification Minister nominee Chung Dong-young, who said Monday he does not agree with the view that North Korea is South Korea's main enemy and called for a review of scaling down combined drills.
The defence minister nominee also called for a "phased" approach to restoring an inter-Korean military tension reduction pact, saying steps should be carried out "gradually."
Ahn, a five-term lawmaker who is the first civilian defence chief to be nominated in 64 years as defence minister, also vowed to rebuild the military into one that is trusted by the people.
If appointed, Ahn will succeed former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who stands trial over allegedly playing a key role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law imposition on December 3.
"What we should do now is to correct the former administration's mistake over its illegal martial law imposition ... and firmly establish civilian control so the military is not used as a private means for (people in) power," he said, calling for the military to adhere to political neutrality.
Ahn noted the military faces an array of challenges, ranging from uncertainties in the global security order and changes in warfare stemming from the development of cutting-edge technology, Yonhap news agency reported.
He also mentioned how North Korea's continued nuclear and missile development and deepening strategic alignment among North Korea, China and Russia are ramping up tensions in Northeast Asia.
Against such a backdrop, Ahn vowed to strengthen a defence cooperation network based on the South Korea-US alliance and trilateral cooperation, also involving Japan.
--IANS
int/jk/sd
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Explained: Donald Trump's landmark $1.35 trillion trade deal with EU before tariff deadline
In a significant breakthrough, President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the United States and the European Union have reached a comprehensive trade deal, just days before a 30 per cent tariff on European imports was due to take effect. U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a trade deal between the US and the EU.(REUTERS) After high-stakes negotiations in Scotland's Turnberry with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the two leaders revealed a new trade framework aimed at averting a full-blown transatlantic trade war. The deal, according to CNN, hailed by both sides as 'powerful' and 'historic', centers around new tariffs, large-scale energy purchases, and significant investment commitments. Also read: Donald Trump turns up to play golf amid protests against his Scotland trip What does the US-EU deal include? Under the terms of the agreement, the EU will purchase $750 billion worth of US energy, marking a massive expansion in transatlantic energy cooperation. Additionally, the 27-member bloc has committed to investing $600 billion more into the US than its current levels, stated another CNBC report. The report added that in exchange, Trump has agreed to impose a 15 per cent tariff on most European imports to the US, down from the 30 per cent rate he previously announced. The deal is expected to significantly ease trade tensions between the long-time allies. A CNBC report quoted Donald Trump declaring that this was a 'very big deal, biggest of all' as he stood alongside von der Leyen. Meanwhile, the European Commission chief, speaking after the meeting, acknowledged the difficulty of the talks and said, 'It is a good deal, it is a huge deal, with tough negotiations.' Donald Trump-EU deal impact The agreement was finalized just before the August 1 deadline, after which the Trump administration had vowed to raise tariffs on most EU goods from 10 per cent to 30 per cent. Earlier in the day, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had reaffirmed that Washington would not give further extensions, calling the deadline 'firm', reported CNN. Had the talks collapsed, Brussels was prepared to launch a major counter-tariff package targeting a wide range of US exports and invoke its new Anti-Coercion Instrument, a legislative mechanism designed to push back against economic pressure. Also read: Trump says US will work with Thailand and Cambodia, adds both 'want to settle' A fractured trade relationship The US-EU trade relationship is among the world's largest, valued at nearly $1.97 trillion in 2024, including both goods and services. While the EU ran a goods trade surplus, it faced a deficit in services, resulting in an overall $58.7 billion surplus with the US. Trump repeatedly criticized the imbalance and used it to justify tougher trade terms. 'The US and EU have one of the largest trade deficits,' he had said, defending the imposition of tariffs as leverage. FAQs What is the latest trade deal Trump announced? Trump and EU President Ursula von der Leyen finalized a deal where the EU will buy $750 billion in US energy and invest $600 billion more into the country in exchange for lower tariffs. Why was this deal considered urgent? It came just days before Trump was set to increase tariffs on European imports from 10 per cent to 30 per cent on August 1. What was at stake in the US–EU trade balance? The EU had a $58 billion overall surplus with the US in 2023, mainly due to goods exports, prompting Trump to demand fairer trade terms. What other trade deals has the Trump administration secured? The administration has renegotiated NAFTA (now USMCA), reached agreements with Japan and South Korea, and imposed tariffs on China during its broader trade overhaul. What is the proposed new tariff structure? Instead of the planned 30 per cent hike, the new deal imposes a 15 per cent across-the-board tariff on most EU imports. What are the key risks or criticisms? Critics argue the deal may strain diplomatic ties, shift costs to consumers, and provoke retaliation from other trading partners not offered similar terms.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba signals he'll stay amid resignation calls
Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba signalled he intends to stay in office despite a growing number of calls within the ruling party for him to step down after an election setback last week. "I intend to devote myself to the people and the future of the country," Ishiba said in an interview with national broadcaster NHK. He added he must take responsibility for implementing the recently announced US-Japan trade deal , and that the real work on it starts now. He is set to speak at a meeting of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers on Monday. Party members have been calling on someone to take responsibility for the July 20 elections that saw the LDP lose its majority in Japan's upper house elections. It marks the first time since 1955 that a leader from the storied Japanese party will govern the country without a majority in at least one of the legislative bodies. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science Public Policy Others Cybersecurity CXO healthcare Design Thinking MBA PGDM Management Technology Finance Data Science Leadership Product Management Operations Management MCA others Data Analytics Project Management Healthcare Degree Artificial Intelligence Digital Marketing Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Prof Cert in DS & BA with GenAI India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 30 Weeks IIM Kozhikode SEPO - IIMK-AI for Senior Executives India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK DABS India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Postgraduate Cert in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIT Madras CERT-IITM Advanced Cert Prog in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Former foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi called for a leadership change within the LDP on his Youtube channel over the weekend. Local media reported last week that Ishiba was set to resign, but the prime minister denied the news shortly afterward. Asked by NHK if he had second thoughts about his decision to continue in office, Ishiba said no. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
U.S. EU trade deal: Donald Trump slaps 15 per cent tariffs on European goods, auto. What is new in it? Is China next?
US-Europe Trade Deal US-EU Tariffs Live Events USA-China Trade Deal Nearing? FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel US President Donald Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen Sunday announced they had reached a deal to end a transatlantic tariffs standoff and avert a full-blown trade war. The agreement came as the clock ticked down on an August 1 deadline for the European Union to strike a deal with Washington -- or face an across-the-board US levy of 30 percent. Trump told reporters the deal involved a baseline levy of 15 percent on EU exports to the United States -- the same level secured by Japan -- including for the bloc's crucial auto sector, which is currently being taxed at 25 percent. Now all eyes are on the world's second largest economy - US President also said the bloc had agreed to purchase "$750 billion worth of energy" from the United States, as well as $600 billion more in additional investments in the country. Negotiating on behalf of the EU's 27 countries, von der Leyen's European Commission had been pushing hard to salvage a trading relationship worth an annual $1.9 trillion in goods and EU has been hit by multiple waves of tariffs since Trump reclaimed the White House. It is currently subject to a 25-percent levy on cars, 50 percent on steel and aluminium, and an across-the-board tariff of 10 percent, which Washington threatens to hike to 30 percent in a no-deal 15 percent would be much higher than pre-existing US tariffs on European goods, which average around 4.8 percent, it would mirror the status quo, with companies currently facing an additional flat rate of 10 the talks failed, EU states had greenlit counter tariffs on $109 billion (93 billion euros) of US goods including aircraft and cars to take effect in stages from August 7. Brussels was also drawing up a list of US services to potentially has embarked on a campaign to reshape US trade with the world, and has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariffs if they do not reach a pact with Washington by August 1. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had said Sunday the August 1 deadline was firm and there will be "no extensions, no more grace periods".U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday his administration was close to reaching a trade deal with China, but gave no other details. "We're very close to a deal with China. We really sort of made a deal with China, but we'll see how that goes," Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland.A1. While 15 percent would be much higher than pre-existing US tariffs on European goods, which average around 4.8 percent, it would mirror the status quo, with companies currently facing an additional flat rate of 10 percent.A2. US President Donald Trump also said the bloc had agreed to purchase "$750 billion worth of energy" from the United States, as well as $600 billion more in additional investments in the country.
