American general says 'new standards' need to be upheld before transfer
South Korean soldiers walk during training. Under current rules, the commander of U.S. forces in South Korea -- who doubles as head of the United Nations Command -- has operational control over South Korean forces in wartime. (Photo by Nikkei)
ERIKA KOBAYASHI
October 22, 2026 05:00 JST
SEOUL -- South Korea has pressed the U.S. to hand back wartime control of its military, but hesitation on the part of Washington has exposed a rift between the allies over who would command South Korean forces in a crisis.