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South Korea and the U.S. are expected to hold their annual high-level defense talks after the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections, potentially delaying a meeting usually held in early November, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday, citing informed sources.
The allies have reached a mutual “understanding” to postpone the Security Consultative Meeting, or SCM, largely because of the U.S. elections, according to the report. Washington is scheduled to host this year’s meeting.
“The U.S. side has raised the need for rescheduling considering the midterm elections and other factors,” one source told Yonhap.
Another source said the two sides “are aligned on delaying the schedule.”
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it was coordinating with the U.S. Defense Department on a “mutually available date” and that no specific details had been finalized.
The Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported Wednesday, citing a lawmaker, that the SCM had been pushed back to December.
The expected delay comes amid differing views between Seoul and Washington over the timing of the transfer of wartime operational control, or OPCON, to South Korea.
Seoul wants to regain wartime OPCON before President Lee Jae Myung’s five-year term ends in 2030, potentially as early as next year.
Washington has expressed reservations about accelerating the process for political reasons.
The SCM is a major bilateral defense forum where senior officials discuss alliance and security issues, including defense strategy, joint readiness and deterrence against North Korea.
South Korea is seeking to complete the second phase of a three-stage conditions-based OPCON transition plan.
The allies are currently assessing “full operational capability,” or FOC, after previously validating “initial operational capability,” or IOC.
Seoul hopes to complete FOC certification and announce a target year for the OPCON transfer at the upcoming SCM before moving to the final “full mission capability,” or FMC, assessment, which it expects to take about another year.
The JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported that Washington remains firm in its view that Seoul is not yet ready for FOC certification.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the allies had completed all joint capability evaluations scheduled for this year and were working closely to prepare for FOC certification.
U.S. Forces Korea declined to provide details on the status of FOC certification but reiterated support for the existing transition framework.
“OPCON transition remains a bilaterally agreed, conditions-based Alliance process,” USFK said. “The United States and the ROK continue to work toward transition through longstanding bilateral coordination and joint assessments.”
ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, South Korea’s official name.
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul also acknowledged in comments to Yonhap that “different perspectives” remained over the OPCON transition.
“As I have said before, trust is important,” Kang said. “So I repeat that there are no major disagreements or issues.”
Kang also said Seoul was consulting with Washington to arrange a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during the upcoming ADMM Plus defense ministers’ meeting in the Philippines later this month.
“We are consulting with Washington to arrange a meeting,” Kang said. “We are working on that.”
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