Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul's recent remarks on U.S. trust were intended to counter a lawmaker's doubts over Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington, not to question the ally's credibility, the defense ministry said Tuesday. Kang drew media attention Monday when he pushed back against an opposition lawmaker skeptical of Seoul's push for the OPCON transition, citing an uncertain global security landscape, where even a military superpower, like the United States, faces challenges in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Responding to Rep. Sung Il-jong of the main opposition People Power Party, Kang said, "Then if a war breaks out with North Korea, can we really trust the U.S. military as you described?" "Because that is not the case, the OPCON transition must take place on a foundation of guaranteed trust," Kang said, advocating the OPCON road map to build a combined forces system, led by a South Korean general, with the U.S. military serving in a supporting role. However, several domestic media outlets reported the remarks Tuesday as suggesting the ministe