Lee Jae Myung Sets 2030 Goal for Military Control

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced a target to regain wartime operational control of the country's armed forces from the United States by 2030. During a Cabinet meeting on August 18, Lee emphasized the necessity of military self-reliance to counter hybrid threats and a shifting security environment, asserting that these steps would strengthen the South Korea-US alliance.

To support this defense strategy, Lee instructed officials to accelerate the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines and merge the nation's three military academies into a single institution. This push for independence follows instructions from US President Donald Trump to the Pentagon to reduce joint military exercises to encourage dialogue with North Korea, even as the allies began their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises on August 17.

In a separate address on August 15 marking the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule, Lee urged North Korea to initiate dialogue to end the Korean War and halt nuclear weapons development. He proposed a blueprint for peaceful coexistence and shared growth, calling for reduced hostility between the two nations. Additionally, Lee announced plans to confiscate wealth from pro-Japanese collaborators to support independence activists and advocated for pragmatic diplomacy with Japan to expand cooperation in energy and advanced technologies.