Won In-cheol: "No North Korean Nuclear Attack in Operation Plan 5027"

Won In-cheol, the nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is delivering an opening statement at the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 18th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu]Won In-chul, the nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), briefly answered "Yes" to a question from Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Hee during the parliamentary confirmation hearing, who asked, "Bob Woodward's new book mentioned a nuclear strike on North Korea based on OPLAN 5027, but there is no such content in OPLAN 5027, right?"

On that day, Won said, "It is not appropriate to go into details of the operational plan..." and when asked whether the U.S. could attack North Korea without South Korea's consent, he replied, "I don't think so."

The Blue House has also denied this. It refuted domestic media reports claiming that the U.S. reviewed an implementation plan of 'OPLAN 5027' in 2017 targeting regime change in North Korea, which included the use of 80 nuclear weapons, stating that these reports are not true.

Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Young-pyo asked, "According to Woodward's book, there was a possibility of war on the Korean Peninsula around the sixth nuclear test in September 2017," and inquired, "Two B-1B strategic bombers were deployed and actually penetrated North Korean airspace; did the U.S. notify you of the operation at that time?"

Won, who was then the Air Force Operations Commander, stated, "I cannot provide details, but we were sharing various situations."

Hong also argued, "If there is talk now that the U.S. would attack North Korea using OPLAN 5027 and 80 tactical nuclear weapons, it means war almost broke out," adding, "It clearly shows that the U.S. does not wage war solely for South Korea's interests."

Regarding opposition lawmakers' questions on whether North Korea is officially recognized as a nuclear state, Won answered, "Our government and military do not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state." He reiterated, "Please understand that as a nominee for JCS Chairman, I cannot officially acknowledge North Korea's nuclear status."

On North Korea's military strategy toward the South, Won said, "I think nothing has changed," and added, "Their goal is to conquer the South by force."

Meanwhile, Operational Plans (OPLAN) are U.S. military operation plans classified by four-digit numbers according to the planning unit and managed as 'OPLAN 0000.' The 1000 series codes are established by U.S. Central Command, the 2000 series by U.S. Northern Command, and plans go up to the 9000 series. The plans applied to South Korea are established by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a joint U.S. military command, and start with the 5000 series. These include 'OPLAN 5029' for contingencies in North Korea, 'OPLAN 5027' for full-scale war, and 'OPLAN 5015,' which integrates peacetime plans responding to localized provocations.