South Korea and the United States are set to conduct their high-level defense discussions in Washington next week, as confirmed by Seoul’s defense ministry. The talks, known as the Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD), are scheduled for Tuesday through Wednesday in the US. The agenda is expected to focus on the wartime Operational Control (OPCON) transfer and access control of the inter-Korean buffer zone.
Kim Hong-cheol, Deputy Defense Minister for policy, will lead the discussions alongside John Noh, US Assistant Secretary of war for Indo-Pacific security affairs, as reported by Yonhap news agency. The ministry highlighted that the main topics will include the transfer of wartime OPCON and the combined defense posture, aiming to advance the South Korea-US alliance in a forward-looking and mutually beneficial manner.
The ongoing efforts to transfer wartime OPCON from the US to Korea will be a key point of discussion during the upcoming talks. South Korea aims to regain command authority before the end of its five-year term in 2030. General Xavier Brunson of US Forces Korea recently informed Congress about the shared goal to meet the necessary conditions for the transfer by the first quarter of 2029.
One of the critical aspects for the OPCON transfer involves South Korea’s capabilities in leading joint Korea-US forces, its strike and air defense capacities, and the regional security environment conducive to such a transition. Additionally, the issue of access control over parts of the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is expected to be addressed, particularly concerning civilian access in efforts to improve relations with North Korea.
