By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry on Wednesday renewed its push to finalize a target year for retaking wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States, aiming to advance the process partly through the allies' upcoming combined exercise later this month.

In a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung, the ministry reaffirmed the commitment, as South Korea seeks to regain wartime command before Lee's five-year term ends in 2030 or even before U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office in January 2029.

Under the three-phase OPCON transition plan, the allies are at the second stage of verifying the combined forces' "full operational capability" (FOC).

Seoul wants to complete the FOC certification and announce the target year at the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between the defense chiefs of the allies this fall.

"We will make every effort to achieve a historic and groundbreaking turning point at the SCM, where the FOC certification and the timing of the (OPCON) transfer will be decided," Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee told reporters in a background briefing Tuesday.

A senior defense ministry official said the upcoming bilateral military exercise with the U.S. will provide a stage to assess the tasks required for the OPCON transition.

"Those evaluations will also take place during the upcoming UFS exercise," he said, referring to the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills.

The UFS, held every August, aims to reinforce the allies' defense posture and deterrence against regional threats, particularly from North Korea. The exercise is also regarded as a testing ground to evaluate key combined capabilities required for the OPCON transition.

The allies agreed to a "conditions-based" OPCON transition plan in October 2014. The three conditions include South Korea's capabilities to lead the future combined Korea-U.S. forces, sufficient strike and air defense capabilities to counter North Korea, and a regional security environment conducive to the handover.

However, Seoul and Washington have shown a growing rift over the timing of the OPCON transition after the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea stressed military readiness over political considerations.

"We are constantly in discussions (with the U.S.) over the OPCON transition through various channels," the ministry official said. "We believe we should be able to decide on the 'X' (target) year at this year's SCM."

The ministry also plans to permanently establish the remaining two of the six component commands under the future Combined Forces Command over the next two years as part of the OPCON transition.

Regarding South Korea's nuclear-powered submarine project, the ministry pledged to fast-track legislation aimed at laying the domestic legal groundwork for building the vessels in cooperation with the U.S.

The ministry has drafted a bill for the Jang Bogo N project aimed at building at least three 8,000-ton conventionally armed nuclear-propelled attack submarines by the mid-2030s, after getting the green light from Washington.

elly@yna.co.kr

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