WASHINGTON — The Pentagon reaffirmed Tuesday that the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea remains a conditions-based process agreed upon by Washington and Seoul, stressing that the necessary requirements must be met before any transition takes place. "The transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) remains a conditions-based process mutually agreed upon by the United States and the Republic of Korea," a Pentagon official told Yonhap News Agency in response to an inquiry. "Both nations remain committed to ensuring that the necessary conditions are met before any transition occurs. We will not prejudge decisions or outcomes of this bilateral process," the official said. The remarks came after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reiterated Monday that Seoul should retake wartime OPCON at an early date. "Speaking frankly, OPCON must be returned at an early date. (We) are sufficiently capable of doing so, and (related) talks between South Korea and the U.S. are basically going well in that direction," Lee said during a meeting with reporters marking his 500