Kuala lumpur: The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States convened at the annual ministerial meeting organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as confirmed by the defense ministry. The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, served as a precursor to their scheduled defense talks in Seoul next week.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the encounter marked the first in-person meeting between South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. During the meeting, Hegseth extended his congratulations to Ahn for successfully hosting the recent South Korea-U.S. summit talks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Hegseth also expressed anticipation for their upcoming annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul.
Ahn expressed gratitude towards Hegseth and emphasized the importance of maintaining close cooperation to build upon the discussions held during the summit talks between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump. The defense chiefs are scheduled to meet in Seoul on Tuesday for the 57th SCM to address various alliance issues, including policy coordination on North Korea and their combined defense posture.
This year's SCM occurs amid discussions about the evolving South Korea-U.S. alliance, particularly regarding the potential adjustment of the U.S. Forces Korea's role and scope in light of China's growing assertiveness. Additionally, South Korea has committed to regaining wartime operational command from the U.S. within President Lee's five-year term.