(LEAD) Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. to hold talks in Philippines ahead of ASEAN meeting

What happened: South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold their first bilateral talks Wednesday in Cebu, Philippines, ahead of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus plenary. Key numbers: Talks on Wednesday, plenary Thursday. Kang took office in September. Why it matters: The meeting comes as the allies work through pending defense issues, particularly Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control, which Washington has approached with reservations about a politically driven timeline.

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold their first bilateral talks Wednesday in Cebu, Philippines, ahead of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus plenary.

The meeting comes as the allies work through pending defense issues, particularly Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control, which Washington has approached with reservations about a politically driven timeline.