U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismisses reports of a growing rift in the South Korea–United States alliance as “fake news,” according to Seoul’s defense minister. South Korea’s Kang Shin-chul says he discussed this issue after meeting with Hegseth earlier this week and responding to Korean media reports about possible friction between the allies.
Kang says the “fake news” remark came when he raised stories that claim disagreements over key bilateral issues, including the pace of the wartime operational control (OPCON) transition from Washington to Seoul. He also says he believes such claims cannot undermine the alliance, describing its foundation as “rock-solid.”
Yonhap and The Korea Times both frame the story around the defense minister’s comments after the Hegseth meeting, focusing on the “fake news” characterization and the mention of OPCON transition concerns as a driver of the reported tension.
