South Korea and the United States delayed their annual security talks until early 2027, while Yonhap News reported Seoul had wanted the meeting to set a target year for wartime command transfer.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said the 58th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) is now scheduled for early 2027. South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth agreed to the postponement in Cebu, Philippines, while attending a regional defense gathering, the ministry said.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration has committed to regaining wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean forces by the end of the president's five-year term in 2030. Yonhap News reported Seoul had wanted the SCM to identify a target year for the transfer.
The ministry said Hegseth reiterated U.S. support for the OPCON transition and that both sides would work toward a smooth transfer at an appropriate time. The defense ministers are scheduled to meet again in Washington in December, the ministry said.
