Gwangju civic group calls for halt to Ulchi Freedom Shield, return of wartime operational control

The Gwangju Progressive Alliance on Tuesday called for an end to the South Korea-US combined Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, saying it raises tensions on the Korean Peninsula and runs counter to the government's policy of peaceful coexistence.

In a statement released that day, the group said the return of wartime operational control is "a matter of South Korean sovereignty, not a military assessment," adding that whether it is returned must not hinge on conditions and evaluations set by the United States.

The group also urged the government to immediately and fully reclaim operational control and ensure that substantive command and control does not continue afterward through the Combined Forces Command or the UN Command.