President Lee: "Korea-U.S. Alliance Must Remain Strong... Wartime OPCON Transfer, Korea Joint Military Academy, Nuclear Submarines to Proceed"

President Lee Jae-myung, 1st Eulji and 36th Cabinet Meetings
Earlier: Trump Orders "Reduction of Korea-US Joint Exercises"
President Lee: "Strengthening Our Own Capabilities Increases the Value of the Alliance"
Clarifies: No Intention to At

President Lee Jae-myung ordered on August 18 that there be unwavering progress in regaining wartime operational control, establishing a unified Korea Military Academy, and introducing nuclear submarines. Amid growing concerns about cracks in the alliance following U.S. President Donald Trump’s message regarding the reduction of joint military exercises, this move is interpreted as a commitment to dispel security anxiety by strengthening South Korea’s self-reliant defense capabilities.

At the 1st Eulji Cabinet Meeting and the 36th regular Cabinet Meeting held at the Blue House that day, President Lee stated, "To further solidify national defense, it is essential to comprehensively enhance operational capabilities and to establish a system for nurturing the talent who will achieve this together." He emphasized, "To that end, we must unwaveringly pursue the completion of the transfer of wartime operational control within the term, in accordance with the government’s original plan."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the 1st Eulji Cabinet Meeting held at the Blue House on August 18, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Regarding the unified Korea Military Academy, which faces opposition within the Army, Navy, and Air Force, President Lee reaffirmed his intent to move forward as originally planned. President Lee said, "To prepare for future warfare where traditional distinctions between battlefields become meaningless, we need to foster officers with integrated operational capabilities." He also requested, "I hope preparations for establishing the Korea Military Academy will proceed without wavering."

On the Korea-U.S. alliance, President Lee said, "A robust alliance with the United States and strengthening our self-reliant defense capabilities are both necessary and sufficient conditions for security." He explained, "Only with a solid alliance can the foundation of our security become even stronger, and by strengthening our own power, the value and necessity of the alliance as a whole will be further enhanced." He further instructed, "I also ask that you accelerate the progress of the nuclear submarine project, which will symbolize the constructive and robust future of the Korea-U.S. alliance."

There is an interpretation that President Lee’s repeated emphasis on various defense policies is closely connected to President Trump’s remarks on scaling down Korea-U.S. joint exercises. On August 16 (local time), President Trump stated via the Truth Social social media platform, "I have directed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to significantly reduce the scale of joint drills." After concerns over national security escalated, President Lee appears to have clarified his determination to bolster national defence through strengthened self-reliance.

President Lee also expressed confidence in South Korea’s defense capabilities. He stated, "As most of our citizens are aware, the Republic of Korea is ranked fifth globally in military strength. The defense industry’s capabilities are evaluated among the global top four, and notably, the Ministry of National Defense’s budget is about 1.4 times the annual GDP of North Korea."

He further added, "In terms of weapons systems and force size, we already have the capability to defend ourselves, enough to rank near the very top globally. It is not an exaggeration to say that our capacity is more than sufficient."

Meanwhile, prior to the Cabinet meeting, President Lee chaired the Eulji National Security Council and reviewed the nation’s all-out war execution capabilities, wartime transition procedures by institution, and specific measures. President Lee instructed, "Do not conduct the Eulji exercises the same way as before. Prepare practical whole-of-government readiness drills that reflect recent trends in warfare, so that the nation can be ready to protect its citizens under any circumstances," he said.

However, Kang Yoo-jung, Chief Spokesperson of the Blue House, explained, "President Lee made it clear that the Eulji exercise is defensive in nature, intended to protect the lives and safety of our citizens. Through these exercises, there is no intention to attack North Korea or raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.