The former commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said the combined command structure with South Korea could be “suboptimal” after the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), while highlighting the need to address issues with the ROK military’s culture before it can take more responsibility for defending against North Korea.

Speaking at an online symposium organized by the Institute for Corean-American Studies on Wednesday, Retired Gen. Paul LaCamera suggested OPCON could lead to a “suboptimal” command structure because it will be the result of political compromise, rather than military expediency.

“My guess is it’ll get optimized if we have to