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 time Wednesday on the sidelines of a regional defense meeting in the Philippine province of Cebu.

Before departing for the Philippines, Kang said the SCM schedule might need to be discussed with Washington, noting that the U.S. side had its own circumstances to consider.

“There are circumstances on their side, so I think we need to hear what they have to say,” Kang told reporters when asked whether the meeting could be pushed beyond December.

Asked whether he would personally raise the SCM schedule with Hegseth, Kang said, “I think we need to discuss it if necessary. I believe it is an important issue.”

The SCM, traditionally held in the fall, had initially been expected to take place in November before being pushed back to December. However, the U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday that the meeting was expected to be held in early 2027, citing scheduling conflicts among senior officials.

A U.S. defense official described the decision to postpone the meeting as having been mutually agreed upon, but Seoul said no schedule had been finalized.

“We are consulting with the U.S. Department of Defense, taking into account mutually available dates, and no specific details have been finalized,” Korea’s defense ministry said Wednesday.

Despite the differing public statements, scheduling difficulties on the U.S. side are believed to be a major factor behind the possible delay. Washington faces competing priorities, including ongoing military operations and political developments at home, which could complicate efforts to arrange the annual meeting before the end of the year.

Differences between the allies over the pace of the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) may also have played a role, although the scheduling issue is not believed to stem from those differences alone.

The potential delay comes as Seoul seeks to complete the full operational capability (FOC) verification of the future Combined Forces Command and agree with Washington on a target year for OPCON transfer.

Kang told lawmakers Monday that the government was working with the United States to complete the verification process and determine a target year by the end of 2026.

FOC verification is the second stage of three-stage, conditions-based process to assess the readiness of a future combined command led by a Korean four-star general.

The allies have also faced questions over whether the standards used to assess the conditions for OPCON transfer should change to reflect evolving security threats.

The FOC verification is also understood to assess specific capabilities required for the future combined command to carry out its missions, rather than the overall military capabilities of the alliance, which continue to evolve in response to changing security threats.

Before leaving for Cebu, Kang also said he expected OPCON transfer to be discussed during his first meeting with Hegseth.

“We will basically discuss alliance matters, and I naturally expect the issue of OPCON transfer to come up,” he said.

Asked whether the two sides would seek to settle the issue during the meeting, Kang said, “Rather than trying to reach a deal, I will consult closely with the U.S. side.”

If the SCM is postponed until next year, it could complicate Seoul’s plan to complete FOC verification and agree on a target year for OPCON transfer by the end of 2026.