South Korea has kicked off a rebuild of the core command-and-control (C2) system it uses with the US, injecting artificial intelligence to sharpen how allied forces plan and fight on the Korean Peninsula.
Hanwha Systems — picked as prime contractor in December 2025 — is leading the Allied Korea Joint Command and Control System (AKJCCS) overhaul with support from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
The upgraded system is scheduled to be deployed in 2029, AJP reported.
Planned improvements include AI-based situational analysis, automated decision support, cloud servers, and virtual desktop infrastructure designed to speed up information sharing and command decisions.
The work will also add real-time translation, teleconferencing, and stronger cybersecurity to improve coordination between American and South Korean personnel in a fast-evolving battlespace.
Preparing for Wartime OPCON
The overhaul ties into South Korea’s long-running push to reclaim wartime operational control (OPCON) from the US-led Combined Forces Command by 2030.
While the upgrade does not signal an immediate transfer, it addresses one of the key conditions Washington has set for Seoul to lead combined wartime operations: proven strength in command and control.
AKJCCS first entered service in 2015 and links directly to the US CENTRIXS-K network, serving as the central hub for allied information and operations.
By 2029, South Korea aims to field an AI-enabled command platform that can fuse data faster, support decisions automatically, and run a modern combined fight with greater clarity and speed.
Once completed, the upgraded AKJCCS would be Seoul’s first homegrown C2 system to incorporate AI-based situational analysis and decision support.
