Ambassador: No Command Shift Date Set

Alexander Vershbow (photo), U.S. ambassador to Korea, said yesterday at a private policy forum at the National Assembly with assemblymen from the Uri Party that it is not time to set a date for the transfer of wartime operational control.

Vershbow said that officials will look into the date of command transfer during the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) next month, and that all situations involving the Korean military’s ability and preparedness for self-defense should be checked and approved by both states.

When one assemblyman noted that North Korea is accusing the U.S. of planning to change its regime, Vershbow denied the claim, stating that North Korea is perceived as a viable counterpart and that normalization of relations will be possible if North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons and proceeds to the six-party talks.

On the question of whether North Korea-U.S. bilateral talks or missions concerning the North Korean nuclear issue are considered, he answered in the negative, saying that it is most important to revive the framework of the six-party talks.

Assemblymen Yoo Jae-kun, head of the Uri Party Foundation of the Uri Party, Moon Hee-sang, Chang Young-dal, Kim Bu-kyum, Kim Jin-pyo, and Kim Myung-ja participated in this forum.

mindy@donga.com