Hegseth calls talk of shaky Korea-US alliance 'fake news:' Seoul's defense minister

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Pete Hegseth dismissed reports of a rift in the Korea-U.S. alliance as “fake news” after their meeting in Cebu on Wednesday. Kang said the two had a good meeting and agreed to align their views on the wartime operational control (OPCON) transition. Their talks came as the allies postponed their annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) until early next year, fueling speculation about disagreements over the transfer. Seoul aims to retake wartime OPCON before the Lee Jae Myung administration’s term ends in 2030.

Kang met one-on-one with Hegseth for about 40 minutes on the sidelines of a regional defense ministers’ meeting in Cebu, the Philippines.

The meeting was Kang’s first sit-down with Hegseth since Kang took office in September.

Seoul has expressed a desire to retake wartime OPCON before the Lee Jae Myung administration’s five-year term ends in 2030.

The Defense Ministry said Thursday it would pursue a “top-down” approach to the OPCON process.

Kang and Hegseth were expected to meet again in December, ahead of the postponed SCM.

Published Oct 30, 2026 10:19 am KST

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth leaves after attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Defense Ministers' Meeting in Cebu, central Philippines, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth brushed off concerns over a perceived growing rift in the Korea-U.S. alliance as "fake news," Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said Friday after a bilateral meeting with his U.S. counterpart earlier this week.

Kang said the secretary made the comment when the minister brought up Korean media reports citing alliance friction over key bilateral issues, including an apparent gap in advancing the wartime operational control (OPCON) transition from Washington to Seoul.

"Regarding the many stories that are coming out, Secretary Hegseth summed it up in just one phrase: 'Fake news,' and I agree," Kang told reporters upon arriving for work following his three-day trip to the Philippines.

He was asked whether any disagreements arose while addressing key issues during his meeting with Hegseth.

"I believe those claims cannot, and must not, shake the rock-solid foundation of the Korea-U.S. alliance," Kang said.

Kang met one-on-one with Hegseth for about 40 minutes on the margins of a regional defense ministers' meeting in Cebu on Wednesday, his first sit-down with the U.S. defense chief since taking office in September.

Following the talks, the two sides announced the postponement of their key annual security dialogue, the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), to early next year, delaying the dialogue from its usual fall timeframe.

The announcement further fueled speculation over a widening rift in the alliance, particularly what has been regarded as disagreements in the timing of the OPCON transfer.

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul arrives for the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting at Mactan Expo in Cebu, Philippines, Thursday. EPA-Yonhap

Kang stressed that he had a "good" meeting with Hegseth where the two sides could reaffirm the "unwavering strength" of their alliance.

"I would say that the biggest takeaway (from the talks) was that we agreed to align our thoughts on the OPCON transition," he said.

Seoul wants to retake wartime OPCON from Washington before the Lee Jae Myung administration's five-year term ends in 2030. Washington, however, has expressed reservations about a rushed handover out of political reasons.

Seeking to move forward with the OPCON transfer, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday it will pursue a "top-down" approach to the process, signaling that it will push for a breakthrough during another bilateral meeting between Kang and Hegseth in December and at the upcoming SCM.

韩国国防部长康信哲表示，周三在宿务与彼得·赫格塞斯会晤后，赫格塞斯驳斥了有关韩美同盟出现裂痕的报道，称其为“假新闻”。康信哲称，双方会晤良好，并同意就战时作战指挥权（OPCON）交接问题达成共识。此次会晤正值韩美两国将年度安全磋商会议（SCM）推迟至明年初之际，引发了外界对交接问题存在分歧的猜测。首尔的目标是在李在明政府2030年任期结束前重新夺回战时作战指挥权。

在菲律宾宿务举行的地区国防部长会议间隙，康与赫格塞斯进行了约 40 分钟的单独会晤。

这是康自9月上任以来首次与赫格塞斯会面。

首尔方面表示，希望在李在明政府五年任期于 2030 年结束之前重新夺回战时作战指挥权。

国防部周四表示，将采取“自上而下”的方式来进行作战指挥控制（OPCON）流程。

康和赫格塞斯原计划在 12 月再次会面，为推迟的 SCM 做准备。

发布于2026年10月30日上午10:19（韩国标准时间）

美国国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯周三在菲律宾中部宿务出席完东盟国防部长会议后离开。美联社-韩联社

韩国国防部长姜信哲在本周早些时候与美国国防部长举行双边会晤后，于周五表示，美国国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯对外界认为韩美同盟关系日益恶化的担忧不以为然，称之为“假新闻”。

康表示，部长提及韩国媒体报道，称两国联盟在关键双边问题上存在摩擦，其中包括在推进战时作战指挥权（OPCON）从华盛顿移交给首尔方面存在明显差距，当时这位秘书发表了上述评论。

“对于许多报道，赫格塞斯部长用一句话概括：‘假新闻’，我同意，”康在结束为期三天的菲律宾之行返回工作岗位后告诉记者。

他被问及在与赫格塞斯会面讨论关键问题时是否出现任何分歧。

“我认为这些说法不能，也不应该动摇韩美同盟的坚实基础，”康说。

周三，康在宿务举行的地区国防部长会议间隙与赫格塞斯进行了约 40 分钟的单独会晤，这是他自 9 月上任以来首次与美国国防部长会面。

会谈结束后，双方宣布将重要的年度安全对话——安全磋商会议（SCM）推迟到明年初举行，将对话时间从通常的秋季推迟。

该公告进一步加剧了人们对联盟内部裂痕加深的猜测，尤其是关于作战指挥权移交时间的分歧。

韩国国防部长康信哲周四抵达菲律宾宿务麦克坦会展中心，出席东盟国防部长会议。（图片来源：EPA-Yonhap）

康强调，他与赫格塞斯进行了一次“良好的”会晤，双方重申了他们联盟的“坚定不移的力量”。

他说：“我认为（会谈中）最大的收获是我们同意在运营控制权过渡问题上达成共识。”

首尔希望在李在明政府五年任期于2030年结束之前，从华盛顿手中重新夺回战时作战指挥权。然而，出于政治原因，华盛顿对仓促移交作战指挥权表示保留意见。

为推进作战指挥权移交，首尔国防部周四表示，将采取“自上而下”的方式推进该进程，这表明将在12月康和赫格塞斯的另一次双边会晤以及即将举行的SCM会议上推动取得突破。