Method and apparatus for rrc connection establishment to support ue-to-network relaying in a wireless communication system

User Equipment (UE)-to-Network relaying, comprising:

• a control circuit;
• a processor installed in the control circuit;
• and
• a memory installed in the control circuit and operatively coupled to the processor;
• wherein the processor is configured to execute a program code stored in the memory to:
• establish a PC5 RRC connection or a PC5 unicast link with a remote UE;
• receive a RRC message from the remote UE;
• initiate a RRC connection establishment with a network node in response to reception of the RRC message, and start a timer;
• determine a failure of the RRC connection establishment if a RRC Reject message is received from the network node or if the timer expires;
• and
• transmit, in response to a determination of the failure of the RRC connection establishment, a Disconnect Request message to the remote UE to release the PC5 RRC connection or the PC5 unicast link or transmits a PC5 RRC message to the remote UE to inform the remote UE of the failure of the RRC connection establishment.