South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that his government’s plan to regain wartime Operational Control (OPCON) from the United States before the end of his term would mark a milestone in advancing the bilateral alliance.

Speaking during a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Seoul, Lee said the transfer would “deepen and develop” the partnership between the two countries. His remarks came as Seoul and Washington held annual security consultations focused on modernizing defense cooperation.

“The early recovery of wartime operational control within my term would serve as an important opportunity to further strengthen the alliance,” Lee said, noting that the move would also lessen America’s defense burden in the Indo-Pacific. His five-year term concludes in 2030.

South Korea ceded wartime operational control to the U.S. during the 1950–53 Korean War and regained peacetime control in 1994. The two nations are now working toward a conditions-based OPCON transition, as Seoul expands its military capabilities and defense autonomy.

Lee also thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for approving South Korea’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, calling the move a “significant upgrade” to national defense and bilateral cooperation.

Hegseth welcomed Seoul’s increased defense spending and joint shipbuilding initiatives, saying such steps would boost both countries’ security. He also pledged U.S. support for implementing Trump’s approval for South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine at a Philadelphia shipyard operated by Hanwha Ocean.

The submarine deal was finalized following discussions between Lee and Trump during last week’s APEC summit in Gyeongju.