Calls for warning to U.S. commander Brunson; Cho Hyun says, “I fully agree”

[Financial News] Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Cho fully agreed with calls to warn General Brunson, commander of USFK, for undermining the return of wartime operational control.
At a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification on the 27th, Cho responded to Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Gi-hyeon’s call for a warning to General Brunson, saying, “I fully agree.”
Cho said, “Last week, I summoned U.S. Ambassador Michelle Park Steel to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and conveyed my views,” adding, “I plan to convey them to the U.S. side again.” Cho is scheduled to leave the country this week to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Cho said, “I think we should take back wartime operational control as soon as possible,” adding, “The U.S. secretary of state also confirmed this recently at the Shangri-La Dialogue (Asia Security Conference).” Cho said consultations between military authorities were underway on the timing of the transfer of wartime operational control. Earlier, General Brunson expressed a negative view of an early transfer of wartime operational control at a U.S. think tank seminar on the 14th, citing changes in the security environment.
The presidential office countered, “The two countries are continuing consultations on the return of wartime operational control in accordance with existing agreements,” and said this was only the commander’s personal opinion, not official U.S. policy. President Lee Jae-myung also strongly reaffirmed his commitment to an early return at a meeting at Chunchugwan, saying, “Wartime operational control must be returned to us swiftly.”

[email protected] Kim Kyung-soo Reporter