Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greets his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, at the Pentagon on May 11, 2026. (South Korean Ministry of National Defense)
The civilian leaders of the U.S. and South Korean militaries met Monday at the Pentagon to discuss defense cooperation, including Seoul’s plan to assume wartime operational control of allied forces on the Korean Peninsula.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, met during the two-day Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue, according to statements released by both countries.
Their meeting came a day before President Donald Trump was scheduled to travel to China to meet with leader Xi Jinping.
South Korea aims to assume wartime operational control, known as OPCON, in 2028, the Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday. The transfer would shift command of allied forces during a conflict on the peninsula from the United States to South Korea.
The commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, testified before Congress last month that the target timeline extends to no later than the first quarter of 2029.
At the Pentagon meeting, Hegseth emphasized the alliance’s importance and welcomed South Korea’s increased defense spending, according to a Defense Department transcript.
“Real burden-sharing is the foundation of a resilient alliance, and it is essential for effectively deterring our mutual adversaries,” he said.
Ahn discussed Seoul’s efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities and assume a larger security role, according to a joint statement.
The two officials also discussed maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions involving the U.S. and Iran, South Korean defense ministry deputy spokesman Lee Kyung-ho told reporters Tuesday in Seoul.
A South Korean cargo vessel, the HMM Namu, operated the Panamanian flag, was struck twice near the strait on May 4, the first day of Project Freedom, a U.S. Navy effort to guide commercial vessels past Iranian threats there. Trump, who announced the project on May 3, ordered it paused a day later.
After the Namu incident, Trump called on South Korea to join the U.S. campaign to open the strait.
In response, the Ministry of National Defense, in a May 5 text message to reporters, said the country is actively participating in international cooperation to secure safe passage.
“The Ministry of National Defense will comprehensively consider international law, the safety of international sea routes, the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and domestic laws and carefully review our position,” the message said.
Lee made no further announcements in Seoul, and the subject of cooperation in the strait was not directly addressed in statements from the Pentagon.
Monday’s meeting marked Ahn’s first visit to the U.S. since taking office in July. The two defense chiefs met on Nov. 4 at the 57th Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul.