Overview
- South Korea’s Defense Ministry confirmed the 57th Security Consultative Meeting will be held in Seoul on Nov. 4, marking the first face-to-face talks between Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- The agenda includes coordination on North Korea policy, combined defense posture, U.S. extended deterrence, cooperation in cyber, space and missile defense, and defense-industry work in shipbuilding and maintenance, repair and overhaul.
- Hegseth’s trip spans Hawaii, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea, with the Pentagon highlighting calls for allies to raise defense spending and contribute more to collective defense.
- The Pentagon said Hegseth will applaud Seoul’s willingness to increase defense spending and take on greater responsibility for the alliance’s deterrence and defense.
- The talks come as North Korea advances its nuclear and missile programs and tightens ties with Russia, while Seoul debates wartime operational control transfer and potential adjustments to the role of U.S. Forces Korea.