S. Korea, U.S. to hold high-level defense talks amid Hormuz deployment consideration

Seoul, South Korea (Sept. 14) -- The United States and South Korea are set to hold their senior-level defense talks this week, amid consideration of deploying troops to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to the South Korean defense ministry. The biannual Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) will be held in Busan, a southeastern port city, from Wednesday to Friday.

Kim Hong-cheol, deputy defense minister for policy, and George Lemeur, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of war for East Asia, will co-lead the discussions. The talks are expected to cover a broad spectrum of security issues, including the potential regain of wartime operational control (OPCON) by South Korea, joint defense posture and cooperation in shipbuilding.

While the allies have not confirmed it, the possibility of Seoul's military deployment to Hormuz is widely anticipated, following Washington's pressure on South Korea to join in securing the vital waterway. South Korea recently dispatched an assessment team to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to evaluate the security situation near Hormuz, which has fueled speculation of a possible military deployment.

However, the government has maintained that no decision has been made on the matter. Iran has publicly cautioned against any military dispatch to the area, warning that it would result in serious consequences. The issue of Seoul's pursuit to regain OPCON from Washington will also be addressed during the week's meeting. South Korea aims to reclaim wartime command before President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term concludes in 2030, or even earlier, possibly next year.

The alliance's combined forces are expected to complete the second phase of OPCON transfer verification, with the target year for the transfer to be announced at the upcoming defense chiefs' meeting this fall. Established in 2011, KIDD is a comprehensive senior-level defense dialogue between the allies, marking the second such gathering this year after the last session held in Washington in May.

This week's meeting will be the first to take place outside of Seoul or Washington, with Busan selected to demonstrate the allies' commitment to expanding shipbuilding cooperation.