South Korea and the United States have agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual security interest, including the transfer of wartime operational control and alliance modernization.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held talks at the Pentagon on Monday. Both sides agreed in a joint readout to remain in close contact and further cooperation in areas of mutual security interest.
The leaders discussed the wartime operational control transition and alliance modernization. Seoul is targeting 2028 for the OPCON transfer, while U.S. Forces Korea commander Gen. Xavier Brunson indicated conditions could be met no later than the first quarter of 2029.
The defense chiefs reaffirmed the role of the Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue. The next KIDD meeting is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday in Washington. The joint readout did not address the recent incident involving a Korean cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
