(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. agree to postpone key bilateral security dialogue to early next year: Seoul

김승연

2026-10-28 18:58:01

(LEAD) S Korea-US-defense talks
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul (R) poses with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during their bilateral talks ahead of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus in Cebu, the Philippines, on Oct. 28, 2026, in this photo provided by South Korea's defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(ATTN: UPDATES with outcome of meeting)

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States have agreed to hold their key bilateral security dialogue early next year, Seoul's defense ministry said Wednesday, postponing the meeting typically held in late October or early November.

The decision came after bilateral talks between Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of a regional defense ministers' meeting in the Philippines, the ministry said.

The announcement confirmed growing speculation that the allies may push back their annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) amid apparent friction over moving forward with the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul.

The secretary and the minister also agreed to hold another round of bilateral talks in Washington next month, the ministry added.

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