Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US set to discuss alliance issues in key security talks

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States were set to hold their annual security talks in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss a range of security issues, such as how to modernize the decadeslong alliance between the two nations. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) at the defense ministry in Seoul. It marks their first co-chairing of the event since they both took office earlier this year. This year's meeting may include discussions on key alliance and security issues, including the "strategic flexibility" of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea as well as Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington. Both sides are also widely expected to consult on Seoul's push to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine following relevant discussions between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in their summit talks last week. South Korea has vowed to regain OPCON from Washington within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term that ends in 2030. Hegseth has called SeWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times