(3rd LD) S Korea-US-defense talks

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS details in paras 7, 12-13)

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States have agreed to postpone their key annual security dialogue to early next year, Seoul's defense ministry said Wednesday, amid perceived disagreements over advancing the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul.

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 two sides also agreed to hold another round of bilateral talks in Washington next month, it added.

"Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the wartime operational control (OPCON) transition, and the minister and the secretary agreed to work closely to ensure a smooth and timely OPCON transfer," the ministry said in a release.

"In this context, sharing the view on the importance of successfully hosting the historic 58th South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), they agreed to hold defense-ministerial talks in Washington in December and convene the SCM in early 2027," it said.

The announcement confirmed growing speculation that the allies may push back the annual SCM amid apparent friction over moving forward with the wartime OPCON transition from Washington to Seoul.

Before Wednesday's announcement, it had been widely expected that this year's SCM would take place in December. The SCM, a key bilateral dialogue platform between Seoul and Washington for broad discussions on alliance and security issues, is typically held in late October or early November.

Seoul seeks to regain wartime OPCON before the Lee Jae Myung administration's five-year term ends in 2030, pushing to announce a target year for the OPCON transfer at the upcoming SCM.

Washington, however, has expressed reservations about rushing the process for political reasons, emphasizing the conditions agreed upon by the allies must be fully met. Chief among them is for Seoul to possess core capabilities to lead combined forces once the handover occurs.

The allies are currently in the process of verifying the "full operational capability" (FOC) of South Korean forces, the second stage of a three-phase, "conditions-based" OPCON transition plan.

While Seoul officials say those requirements have been met, the U.S. maintains that they have yet to be fulfilled, with U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson recently stating that "conditions have changed" and that there were "new standards" to uphold.

The decision to delay the SCM and hold bilateral talks prior to the SCM meeting suggests that both sides have at least agreed to seek tangible progress in the ongoing OPCON transition at the top defense officials' level.

During a parliamentary audit earlier this week, Kang said the U.S. shares an understanding on setting the target year for the OPCON handover, stressing that Seoul is closely consulting with Washington on the issue.

The 40-minute talks, held on the margins of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) Plus, marked their first meeting since Kang took office in September.

At the talks, Kang highlighted the bilateral alliance spanning more than 70 years as a linchpin of regional peace and prosperity, expressing hope to further advance their ties in a comprehensive and strategic one based on steadfast trust and the "fight together" spirit, the ministry said.

Hegseth, in turn, voiced expectations that their defense authorities will continue to strengthen cooperation as the two countries maintain a robust combined defense posture, according to the ministry.

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