Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US to hold talks in Philippines ahead of ASEAN meeting
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold their first bilateral talks in the Philippines this week ahead of a ministerial meeting led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a source familiar with the matter said Tuesday. Kang and Hegseth are expected to meet one-on-one on Wednesday, a day ahead of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)…
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will meet in the Philippines this week, marking their first bilateral talks since Kang took office in September. This encounter will occur a day before the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus plenary in Cebu, according to a source familiar with the situation.
This first meeting will be an important opportunity for the two defense chiefs to discuss pending defense and alliance issues, especially concerning Seoul's efforts to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington. The South Korean government is keen on securing OPCON control before the end of Kang's five-year term in 2030, or even sooner.
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