The protection chiefs of South Korea and the USA have been set to carry their annual safety talks in Seoul on Tuesday to debate a spread of safety points, equivalent to how one can modernize the decadeslong alliance between the 2 nations.
Protection Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth will maintain the 57th Safety Consultative Assembly (SCM) on the protection ministry in Seoul. It marks their first co-chairing of the occasion since they each took workplace earlier this yr.
This yr’s assembly might embody discussions on key alliance and safety points, together with the “strategic flexibility” of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea in addition to Seoul’s push to retake wartime operational management (OPCON) from Washington.
Either side are additionally broadly anticipated to seek the advice of on Seoul’s push to amass a nuclear-powered submarine following related discussions between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump of their summit talks final week.
South Korea has vowed to regain OPCON from Washington inside President Lee Jae Myung’s five-year time period that ends in 2030.
Hegseth has referred to as Seoul’s push for OPCON switch “nice” and described South Korea as a “fight credible” associate, whereas noting the necessity for allies to take higher safety duties.
In response, Ahn has mentioned he’ll make the “utmost” efforts to make sure the retaking of OPCON from Washington whereas sustaining a powerful and steadfast alliance.
In the meantime, throughout their summit within the southeastern metropolis of Gyeongju on Wednesday, Lee overtly requested Trump to permit his nation to safe nuclear gasoline provides for conventionally armed submarines to raised observe North Korean and Chinese language vessels, saying it could ease the operational burden for U.S. forces.
Trump mentioned in a social media submit the next day that he has given South Korea approval to construct a nuclear-powered submarine at a Philadelphia shipyard, run by South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean.
On the Korean Peninsula, the assembly comes as North Korea continues to deepen its navy alignment with Russia whereas advancing its nuclear and missile weapons, disclosing the brand new Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile throughout a significant navy parade final month.
Seoul’s protection ministry has outlined coverage coordination on North Korea, mixed protection posture, prolonged deterrence in addition to naval upkeep, restore and overhaul as key agendas set to be mentioned on this yr’s protection bilateral talks.
“Either side plan to debate general pending points to advance the alliance in a future-oriented and mutually useful course to reply to the altering safety setting and threats,” the ministry earlier mentioned in a launch.
The U.S. Division of Conflict additionally introduced Hegseth’s attendance on the SCM and mentioned he’ll “applaud Seoul’s willingness to step up on protection spending and assume higher duty for the alliance’s deterrence and protection.”
Hegseth arrived in South Korea on Monday afternoon for his two-day go to, the ultimate leg of his Asia swing that features visits to Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Upon his arrival, he visited the Joint Safety Space (JSA) contained in the Demilitarized Zone separating the 2 Koreas with Ahn, in what marked the primary joint go to to the JSA by the protection chiefs of the allies in eight years.
