Hegseth calls talk of shaky S. Korea-U.S. alliance 'fake news:' Seoul's defense minister

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed worries about potential strain in the Korea-U.S. alliance as "fake news," according to Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul, who shared the comment after a bilateral meeting with the U.S. counterpart earlier in the week. Kang brought up reports from Korean media highlighting alliance issues, particularly a perceived gap in advancing the wartime operational control (OPCON) transition from Washington to Seoul.

Secretary Hegseth's response to such stories was succinct: "Fake news," a sentiment Kang echoed upon his return to Seoul after a three-day trip to the Philippines. When asked if any disagreements surfaced during his meeting with Hegseth, Kang emphasized that such claims are untenable and should not undermine the "rock-solid foundation" of the Korea-U.S. alliance.

The two leaders engaged in a 40-minute conversation on the sidelines of a regional defense ministers meeting in Cebu, marking Kang's first face-to-face discussion with the U.S. secretary.