South Korea and the U.S. are seeking to finalize the date of and conditions for the transfer of wartime control of Korean troops back to Seoul during next month’s meeting of their defense ministers, an official here said Tuesday.

Since last year, the allies have been discussing the delay in the transfer of the U.S.’ wartime operational control of local troops, previously set for 2015. How long the transfer should be delayed or whether it should be delayed at all has been a source of intense debate in both of the countries amid North Korea’s increasing nuclear threats.

“The defense ministries of South Korea and the U.S. are in discussions to reach a final agreement on the conditions and the timing of the transfer during the annual Security Consultative Meeting in October,” said Kim Min-seok, Seoul’s Defense Ministry spokesman.

Asked whether the joint statement from the SCM would indicate a newly-agreed date for the OPCON transfer, Kim said, “Basically, it think it should be stated there,” adding that the two countries need more discussions on the matter.

He also dismissed a media report saying that the two allies have virtually agreed to delay the transfer by six or seven years to 2021 or 2022, saying that “discussion is still under way.”

South Korea handed over control of its forces to the U.S. during the 1950-53 Korean War to defend against invading troops from North Korea. Peacetime control of its forces was returned in 1994, and in 2006 both sides agreed to also transfer wartime OPCON back to Seoul.

The initial target date was 2012 before it was pushed back to 2015.

Amid North Korea’s third nuclear test, Seoul asked for another delay in the OPCON transfer. The allies are believed to be in agreement on putting off the transfer.

The OPCON transfer issue was also the focus of discussion in the sixth round of the senior-level Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue held in Seoul on Wednesday, according to the Defense Ministry.

Yoo Jeh-seung, Seoul’s deputy minister for policy, and his U.S. counterpart, David Helby, discussed issues pertaining to when the wartime control should be returned.

Sources said the timing of the OPCON transfer may largely hinge on the completion of South Korea’s two local defense systems: kill chain and Korean Air and Missile Defense.

Given that the local missile defense systems are supposed to be completed in the early 2020s, the OPCON transfer may be delayed until then, the sources said.

“The South Korean military’s capacity to deal with North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats will be an important condition,” one military source noted. “The timing of the wartime OPCON return is likely to match when (South Korea) meets the condition.” (Yonhap)