South Korea and the United States agree to postpone their annual top-level defense chiefs meeting tied to the wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer, with the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) now expected in early 2027. The decision follows discussions between South Korea’s Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during the ASEAN defense gathering in Cebu, Philippines.
Across outlets, Kang and Hegseth are described as reaffirming alliance cooperation and combined defense posture, while the delay is seen as affecting Seoul’s efforts to advance OPCON transfer. Korea Times reports that Seoul seeks a “top-down” approach, with defense chiefs setting policy direction based on evaluations, and notes a planned December meeting in Washington ahead of the rescheduled SCM.
Yonhap and NK News frame the development as a setback for Seoul’s OPCON timeline, describing the postponement of the top-level talks. Korea Times adds contextual detail about sequencing and uncertainty about whether the meeting happens before the end of the year, reflecting competing expectations about scheduling and pace.
