In brief
Seoul and Washington have deferred the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) until early 2027, a shift confirmed by Seoul’s defense ministry following bilateral talks at a Philippine defense meeting. The postponement comes amid disagreements over the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul, even as both sides plan another round of talks in Washington in December to verify South Korea’s readiness for OPCON.
On Oct. 28, Seoul’s defense ministry announced that the annual South Korea‑U.S. Security Consultative Meeting will be postponed to early 2027, following bilateral talks between Defense Minister Kang Shin‑chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a regional defense meeting in Cebu, Philippines.
The decision moves the normally held late‑October or early‑November meeting to a later date next year, as the allies negotiate the wartime operational control transition. The ministry said the postponement confirms the growing speculation that the meeting would be pushed back.
The postponement follows disagreements over the timeline for transferring wartime OPCON from Washington to Seoul. Seoul seeks to regain OPCON before the end of the current administration’s five‑year term in 2030, while Washington has urged that full operational capability conditions be met before rushing the handover.
"Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the wartime OPCON transition, and the minister and the secretary agreed to work closely to ensure a smooth and timely OPCON transfer," the ministry said.
Both sides also agreed to hold another round of bilateral talks in Washington in December. The ministry said the talks will verify South Korea’s readiness for wartime OPCON and work closely to ensure a smooth transition.
The SCM, which serves as a key platform for discussing the alliance and broader security issues, will remain a central point of coordination as both governments aim to align the discussion with upcoming defense strategy reviews and ongoing joint exercise adjustments.
