▲ This undated photo, provided by U.S. forces stationed in South Korea, shows Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok (L), deputy commanding general for South Korea at the Korea-U.S. Combined Division. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

female general-combined division

Female general becomes 1st deputy commanding general for S. Korea at Korea-U.S. Combined Division

SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Yonhap) -- Army Brig. Gen. Moon Han-ok has taken office as the South Korean deputy commanding general at the Korea-U.S. Combined Division, becoming the first female South Korean general to hold the post, military officials said Sunday.

Moon assumed the role in early January after being promoted to a one-star general in last month's military reshuffle, according to the military. She was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1997.

Moon is widely regarded as an expert in the field of combined defense and operations. While serving as a lieutenant colonel, she worked on Seoul's move to regain wartime operational control from Washington at a new combined defense group of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"At a critical juncture of Seoul's efforts to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington, I would like to contribute to improving operational interoperability between the allies," Moon said.

South Korea is seeking to regain OPCON from the U.S. within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term that ends in 2030 as it aims to build a self-reliant national defense.

The allies agreed to seek the certification of "full operational capability" this year -- the second part of a three-phase program aimed at vetting Seoul's capabilities to lead the allies' combined forces.

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