Kuala lumpur: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday praised South Korea's efforts to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) of its forces from the US, calling it a "great" move.

According to Anadolu Agency, Hegseth made these remarks while speaking to reporters on his flight to Malaysia. He also commended Seoul's commitment to increasing defense spending, labeling it as "critically important too." Emphasizing the longstanding alliance between the US and South Korea, he stated, "I think it's great. (The) more capabilities for our allies, the better. We've been strong allies for many, many decades. That has not changed."

South Korea is a key ally of the United States, home to approximately 28,500 American soldiers on the Korean Peninsula. While the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff manage peacetime operational control, the US-led Combined Forces Command retains control during wartime. This arrangement traces back to the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, after which South Korea placed operational control of its forces under the US-led UN Command. In 1978, this authority transitioned to the allies' Combined Forces Command. Although South Korea regained peacetime control of its military in 1994, wartime operational control has remained with the US.

Recently, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reiterated the country's intention to reclaim wartime operational control from the United States. Addressing speculation regarding South Korea's position in the Pentagon's new national defense strategy, Hegseth dismissed reports suggesting exclusion, calling them 'inaccurate.' He clarified that Washington is not pursuing a NATO-style multilateral alliance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Hegseth's Asia trip, which includes visits to Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and South Korea, will see him meeting his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, next week in Seoul.