Korean-US security talks unlikely to take place this year amid scheduling difficulties

The annual Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) may be postponed until early 2027 because of scheduling difficulties, though Seoul says no date has been finalized. Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul met U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Cebu on Wednesday and expected them to discuss wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer. Seoul aims to complete full operational capability verification and agree on an OPCON transfer target year by the end of 2026, a plan a delayed SCM could complicate.

The SCM was initially expected in November before being pushed back to December.

The U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday that the meeting was expected in early 2027, citing scheduling conflicts among senior officials; a U.S. defense official described the postponement as mutually agreed.

Korea’s defense ministry said Wednesday that it was consulting with the U.S. Department of Defense and that no specific details had been finalized.

Full operational capability verification is the second stage of a three-stage, conditions-based process assessing the readiness of a future Combined Forces Command led by a Korean four-star general.

Kang told lawmakers Monday that the governments were working to complete the verification and determine an OPCON transfer target year by the end of 2026.

Published Oct 28, 2026 4:08 pm KST

Seoul says SCM date remains undecided as Washington eyes early 2027 meeting

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul, right, poses with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during their meeting on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense

The annual defense chiefs’ meeting between Korea and the United States appears increasingly unlikely to take place this year, as Washington expects it to be pushed back to early 2027 while Seoul maintains that no final decision has been made.

The uncertainty over the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) comes as Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul met his U.S. counterpart Pete Hegseth for the first time Wednesday on the sidelines of a regional defense meeting in the Philippine province of Cebu.

Before departing for the Philippines, Kang said the SCM schedule might need to be discussed with Washington, noting that the U.S. side had its own circumstances to consider.

“There are circumstances on their side, so I think we need to hear what they have to say,” Kang told reporters when asked whether the meeting could be pushed beyond December.

Asked whether he would personally raise the SCM schedule with Hegseth, Kang said, “I think we need to discuss it if necessary. I believe it is an important issue.”

The SCM, traditionally held in the fall, had initially been expected to take place in November before being pushed back to December. However, the U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday that the meeting was expected to be held in early 2027, citing scheduling conflicts among senior officials.

A U.S. defense official described the decision to postpone the meeting as having been mutually agreed upon, but Seoul said no schedule had been finalized.

“We are consulting with the U.S. Department of Defense, taking into account mutually available dates, and no specific details have been finalized,” Korea’s defense ministry said Wednesday.

Despite the differing public statements, scheduling difficulties on the U.S. side are believed to be a major factor behind the possible delay. Washington faces competing priorities, including ongoing military operations and political developments at home, which could complicate efforts to arrange the annual meeting before the end of the year.

Differences between the allies over the pace of the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) may also have played a role, although the scheduling issue is not believed to stem from those differences alone.

The potential delay comes as Seoul seeks to complete the full operational capability (FOC) verification of the future Combined Forces Command and agree with Washington on a target year for OPCON transfer.

Kang told lawmakers Monday that the government was working with the United States to complete the verification process and determine a target year by the end of 2026.

FOC verification is the second stage of three-stage, conditions-based process to assess the readiness of a future combined command led by a Korean four-star general.

The allies have also faced questions over whether the standards used to assess the conditions for OPCON transfer should change to reflect evolving security threats.

The FOC verification is also understood to assess specific capabilities required for the future combined command to carry out its missions, rather than the overall military capabilities of the alliance, which continue to evolve in response to changing security threats.

Before leaving for Cebu, Kang also said he expected OPCON transfer to be discussed during his first meeting with Hegseth.

“We will basically discuss alliance matters, and I naturally expect the issue of OPCON transfer to come up,” he said.

Asked whether the two sides would seek to settle the issue during the meeting, Kang said, “Rather than trying to reach a deal, I will consult closely with the U.S. side.”

If the SCM is postponed until next year, it could complicate Seoul’s plan to complete FOC verification and agree on a target year for OPCON transfer by the end of 2026.

由于日程安排困难，韩美年度安全磋商会议（SCM）可能推迟至2027年初举行，但首尔方面表示尚未最终确定日期。韩国国防部长康信哲周三在宿务会见了美国国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯，预计双方将讨论战时作战指挥权（OPCON）移交问题。首尔的目标是在2026年底前完成全面作战能力验证，并就战时作战指挥权移交目标年份达成一致，而安全磋商会议的推迟可能会使这一计划复杂化。

SCM 最初预计在 11 月举行，后来推迟到 12 月。

美国国防部周二表示，由于高级官员之间的日程冲突，会议预计将于 2027 年初举行；一位美国国防官员称，此次推迟是双方协商一致的结果。

韩国国防部周三表示，正在与美国国防部进行磋商，目前尚未确定具体细节。

全面作战能力验证是评估由韩国四星上将领导的未来联合部队司令部战备情况的三阶段、基于条件的流程的第二阶段。

康周一告诉立法者，政府正在努力完成核查工作，并确定 OPCON 移交目标年份，目标是在 2026 年底前完成。

发布于2026年10月28日下午4:08（韩国标准时间）

首尔方面表示，SCM会议日期尚未确定，而华盛顿方面则着眼于2027年初举行会议。

韩国国防部长康信哲（右）周三在菲律宾宿务举行的第十三届东盟防长扩大会议期间与美国国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯会晤。图片由韩国国防部提供。

韩美年度国防部长会议今年似乎越来越不可能举行，华盛顿方面预计会议将推迟到 2027 年初，而首尔方面则坚持尚未做出最终决定。

在安全磋商会议（SCM）前景不明朗之际，韩国国防部长康信哲周三在菲律宾宿务省举行的地区防务会议间隙，首次与美国国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯会面。

康在启程前往菲律宾之前表示，可能需要与华盛顿方面讨论战略指挥会议的日程安排，并指出美方也有自己的情况需要考虑。

当被问及会议是否有可能推迟到 12 月之后时，康告诉记者：“他们那边也有一些情况，所以我认为我们需要听听他们的说法。”

当被问及是否会亲自向赫格塞斯提出SCM赛程安排的问题时，姜孝林表示：“我认为如有必要，我们需要讨论一下。我相信这是一个重要的问题。”

战略指挥会议（SCM）通常在秋季举行，最初预计在11月举行，后推迟至12月。然而，美国国防部周二表示，由于高级官员之间的日程冲突，会议预计将于2027年初举行。

一位美国国防官员称，推迟会议的决定是双方共同商定的，但首尔方面表示，会议日程尚未最终确定。

韩国国防部周三表示：“我们正在与美国国防部进行磋商，考虑双方都能接受的日期，但尚未最终确定具体细节。”

尽管双方公开声明不一，但据信美方日程安排上的困难是导致会议可能延期的主要原因。华盛顿面临着多项优先事项，包括正在进行的军事行动和国内政治局势，这可能会使在年底前安排年会变得更加复杂。

盟军之间在战时作战控制权（OPCON）移交速度上的分歧也可能起到了一定作用，尽管人们认为进度安排问题并非仅仅源于这些分歧。

此次潜在的延误是由于首尔方面正在寻求完成未来联合部队司令部的全面作战能力 (FOC) 验证，并与华盛顿就作战指挥权移交的目标年份达成一致。

康明凯周一告诉立法者，政府正在与美国合作完成核查程序，并确定在2026年底前完成核查的目标年份。

FOC 验证是评估由韩国四星上将领导的未来联合司令部战备状态的三阶段、基于条件的流程的第二阶段。

盟军还面临着这样的问题：用于评估作战指挥权移交条件的标准是否应该改变，以反映不断变化的安全威胁。

FOC 验证也被理解为评估未来联合司令部执行任务所需的具体能力，而不是评估联盟的整体军事能力，而联盟的军事能力会随着安全威胁的变化而不断发展。

在前往宿务之前，康还表示，他预计在与赫格塞斯的第一次会面中会讨论作战指挥权的转移问题。

“我们主要会讨论联盟相关事宜，我自然预计作战控制权移交的问题会被提及，”他说。

当被问及双方是否会在会晤中寻求解决该问题时，康表示：“我不会试图达成协议，而是会与美方密切磋商。”

如果 SCM 推迟到明年，可能会使首尔完成 FOC 验证并就 OPCON 移交目标年份达成一致（2026 年底）的计划变得复杂。