S. Korea, US agree to cooperate on key alliance issues for 'mutual security interest'

South Korea and the United States have agreed to work together to strengthen cooperation in areas of "mutual security interest," including Seoul's push to retake wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington and joint efforts to modernize the alliance. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed the commitments during their talks at the Pentagon on Monday (U.S. time) as Seoul seeks to regain wartime command from the U.S. as part of broader efforts to build a more self-reliant defense. "Both the secretary and the minister agreed to remain in close contact and further cooperation in areas of mutual security interest," according to a joint readout released by the Pentagon. "The two leaders also discussed key alliance issues, including wartime operational control transition and alliance modernization, and resolved to strengthen cooperation moving forward," it said. President Donald Trump's administration has stressed increased burden-sharing for allies and called on Seoul to take primary responsibility to deter North Korea with "critical but more lim

Go to News Site