Overview
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back toured the JSA and Observation Post Ouellette, the first joint defense-chief visit there since 2017.
- Hegseth said the alliance remains focused on deterring North Korea, though he signaled the United States will consider flexibility for Korea-based troops to respond to regional contingencies.
- Officials said a joint communique was still being finalized, with discussions covering defense costs and a plan for South Korea to maintain and repair U.S. ships to keep them ready in theater.
- The nations’ Joint Chiefs oversaw a first-ever combined formation flight of South Korean and U.S. F-16s over Pyeongtaek to highlight combined readiness.
- Talks at the 57th Security Consultative Meeting include conditions-based wartime OPCON transfer and Seoul’s planned 2026 defense spending increase, with any changes to U.S. force posture still under discussion.