한·미간 전시작전통제권 전환 준비의 진단과 대비

Abstract

The transition of Wartime Operational Control Authority(WOCA) decided during the Participatory Government has been continuously moved forward between the MB government and the Obama administration. The transition of the WOCA agrees with the multi-lateral diplomatic strategy of Obama while being on the same line of 'Korea-U.S. Alliance for the 21st Century'. The restitution of the WOC is a new experiment for converting 'Korea-U.S. Combined Defense System' that has maintained for half a century into 'Korea-U.S. Joint Defense System'. Reviewing the transition procedure from June 2007 to the present time (the end of 2009), Korean Military Army's ability to perform theater operations is generally recognized highly. However, it is nation's major tasks to improve problems that have been discussed meantime. Matters Korea has to concern and prepare with respect to the transition of the WOCA for the next two and half years are as follows. ① Flexible responses considering security related situations including North Korea's nuclear issues, ② Development of command and cooperation system for efficient integration of operations, ③ Cooperation between Korea and the U.S. about countermeasures for ‘strategical flexibility of U.S. armed forces in Korea’, ④ Security of Korean Military Army's independent operating ability and a defense budget, ⑤ Improvement of risk management ability and war commanding ability at the national level, etc. Korea should use the transition of the WOCA as an opportunity to improve national risk management ability and establish self-reliance of national defense by implementing security issues it has relied on the U.S. initiatively.