Lee says South Korea can take back wartime command of US-led forces
South Korea's president says the country is fully capable of assuming wartime operational control of combined forces with the US, with talks progressing. Source: Reuters.
- published
- in the api
- on the website
on the website stories appear 15 minutes after publication, in the api at once. connect the api →
what happened
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Monday that his country is fully able to take over wartime operational control of the combined forces with the United States, and that talks with Washington on the change are moving forward. He said Seoul has built a strong military capable of deterring North Korea, even though Pyongyang has nuclear weapons.
Lee acknowledged the process is not simple, since operational control has been held by the US for about 70 years. Under a 2007 agreement, the command is to eventually move to Seoul. He aims to complete the handover before his five-year term ends in 2030. According to South Korean media, Seoul favours 2028 as the target year, while the US commander in Korea has pointed to early 2029.
why it matters
The story is mainly political and has no direct market effect. Lower military tension on the Korean peninsula can support sentiment toward the won and the KOSPI index, but the impact is limited.
market impact
South Korea: political story with no direct market effect, indirectly supports sentiment for the won and KOSPI
tags
instruments
sources
- Lee says S Korea capable of taking back wartime command of combined US forces — Reuters, 19 October 2026 at 09:48 UTC
- Lee says S Korea capable of taking back wartime command of combined US forces — Reuters, 19 October 2026 at 09:59 UTC
prepared by the newsmetry newsroom with ai assistance from the sources listed below. not investment advice.
on the website stories appear 15 minutes after publication, in the api at once.
get stories in real time ↗