A Hasty Wartime Operational Control Decision?

Some 70 retired generals and admirals, including former ministers of national defense, chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, chiefs of the armed forces, and the deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command decided to call an urgent meeting on February 28 and release a statement in protest of the government agreement with the U.S. to take over wartime operational control as of April 17, 2012.

Kim Ji-wook, policy chief of Sungwoohoe, an association of retired generals and admirals, held a press conference on February 26 and said, “It is almost impossible to secure alternative military power in five years until Korea regains wartime operational control,” adding, “The statement to be released by former leaders of the military is opposed to the agreement to recover wartime operational control.”

Sungwoohoe had a meeting that day with the participation of eight retired military leaders, including former defense ministers Kim Seong-eun and Lee Sang-hoon. In the meeting, the association concluded that the wartime operational control transition was decided on hastily, and discussed countermeasures to the decision.

Kim Sang-tae, chairman of Sungwoohoe, said, “We should not rush to take over wartime operational control and discuss a peace regime on the Korean peninsula based on the six-party talks before the North Korean nuclear issue is resolved.”

Former Defense Minister Lee Jong-ku said, “I’m enraged at the administration which pushes forward with wartime operational control, even though all of the former military leaders are opposed and 2.5 million people signed a petition against it.”

They also said, “Korea will be taken hostage forever by a nuclear North Korea,” adding, “We’ll come up with strong measures, which reflect the opinions of all former military leaders, and stick to the measures.”

ysh1005@donga.com