Washington Times
February 24, 2007
Pg. 7 South Korea
The United States and South Korea agreed yesterday that by 2012 the South Koreans will be responsible for commanding their military in wartime.
Under the half-century-old alliance that began with the U.S.-led military response to North Korean invaders in 1950, South Korea would put its forces under U.S. command if war should break out again.
After a meeting yesterday between Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo, the countries announced that South Korea, starting April 17, 2012, would keep wartime command of its own forces, with the U.S. military acting in support.
The United States, fighting draining wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, originally pushed for the transfer to be made by 2009, but South Korea wanted to take more time.
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