Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US to hold talks in Philippines ahead of ASEAN meeting

What happened: South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold their first bilateral talks Wednesday in Cebu, Philippines, ahead of the ASEAN Why it matters: The meeting comes as the allies face pending defense issues, particularly Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control, which Washington has approached with reservations about a rushed handover. Kang said the OPCON transition will be discussed. At the plenary, Kang will highlight the illegitimate nature of North Korea's recent land mine provocation and call for resuming dialogue.

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold their first bilateral talks Wednesday in Cebu, Philippines, ahead of the ASEAN

The meeting comes as the allies face pending defense issues, particularly Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control, which Washington has approached with reservations about a rushed handover. Kang said the OPCON transition will be discussed. At the plenary, Kang will highlight the illegitimate nature of North Korea's recent land mine provocation and call for resuming dialogue.