Korean-US security talks unlikely to take place this year amid scheduling difficulties
The annual defense chiefs’ meeting between Korea and the United States appears increasingly unlikely to take place this year, as Washington expects it to be pushed back to early 2027 while Seoul maintains that no final decision has been made. The uncertainty over the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) comes as Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul met his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth for the first…
The annual defense chiefs’ meeting between South Korea and the United States seems increasingly unlikely to occur this year, with Washington anticipating it to be postponed to early 2027, while Seoul asserts no final decision has been reached. The uncertainty surrounding the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) emerged as Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul met with his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth for the first time on Wednesday, during a regional defense conference in Cebu, Philippines.
Upon departing for the Philippines, Kang suggested that the SCM schedule might need to be discussed with Washington, stating that the U.S. side had its own considerations to address. "There are circumstances on their side, so I think we need to hear what they have to say," Kang told reporters when questioned about the possibility of the meeting being pushed beyond December.
When asked if he would personally bring up the SCM schedule with Hegseth, Kang replied, "I think we need to discuss it if necessary. I believe it is an important issue." Traditionally held in the fall, the SCM was initially expected to take place in November but now faces significant scheduling challenges.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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