Seoul, Nov 3 (‐) – South Korea and the United States are set to meet in Seoul for the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), a key annual safety talk that shows how the two countries are updating their long‑standing alliance. The talks will be led by Defence Minister Ahn Gyu‑back of South Korea and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, both of whom took office earlier this year.
The meeting will focus on several pressing topics. First, the two sides will discuss the “strategic flexibility” of US forces stationed in South Korea and Seoul’s push to regain operational command (OPCON) from Washington. Seoul says it wants OPCON back during President Lee Jae‑Myung’s term, which ends in 2030, and Hegseth praised the shift as a positive step, calling South Korea a “combat‑credible” partner.
Another major issue will be South Korea’s aspiration to build a nuclear‑powered submarine. This comes after President Lee met with former US President Donald Trump last week, where the two leaders touched on the benefit of nuclear fuel for conventional submarines. Trump later announced on social media that the US has approved a nuclear‑powered sub built by South Korean company Hanwha Ocean in Philadelphia.
The talks will also cover North Korea’s escalating weapons program. North Korea recently revealed a new Hwasong‑20 intercontinental ballistic missile during a major parade, and the South Korean defence ministry plans to discuss policy coordination on the North, overall defence posture, naval maintenance, and extended deterrence.
According to the US Department of Defence, Hegseth will “applaud Seoul’s willingness to step up defence spending” and take on more responsibility for regional security. He will arrive in Seoul on Monday for two days that will also include a visit to the Joint Security Area (JSA) with Minister Ahn—a first joint visit by the allies in eight years.
The SCM is part of Hegseth’s final leg of an Asia swing that also takes him to Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam. The meeting highlights how South Korea and the United States are working together to modernise their alliance and address new security challenges across the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
Source: ianslive
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