Seoul/Washington May 11 (IANS) The top defence chiefs of South Korea and the United States held talks in Washington on Monday, focusing on advancing the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul and Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back met one-on-one with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss follow-up steps on the OPCON transition and nuclear-powered submarines, in line with the agreements reached between the lead…
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Washington, May 11 (IANS) The top defence chiefs of South Korea and the United States are set to hold talks in Washington on Monday, focusing on advancing the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul and Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back will meet US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss follow-up steps on the OPCON transition and nuclear-powered submarines, in line with the agreements reached between the leaders…
Seoul, May 10 (IANS) South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Sunday that South Korea and the United States face “no major issues” in accelerating the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), stressing that the allies have made “significant progress” in meeting the conditions agreed upon by the two sides for the transition. Ahn made the remarks before departing for Washington for talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, scheduled for Monday (US time), as Seoul is seeking t…
Seoul, May 9 (IANS) South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back will visit the United States next week for talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the defence ministry said Saturday, as the allies seek to discuss a host of pending issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON). Ahn will make a five-day trip to Washington starting Sunday and plans to hold talks with his American counterpart on Monday (US time), the ministry said. It will be Ahn’s first visit to the US …
Seoul, April 30 (IANS) South Korea and the United States are not discussing drawing down the 28,500-strong US forces stationed in Korea, a Seoul defense ministry official said Thursday, after US President Donald Trump said his administration is weighing a possible reduction of American troops in Germany.Trump said in a social media post that the US is “studying and reviewing” the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with the decision possibly to be made “over the next short period of time.”T…
Washington, April 16 (IANS) A US Navy guided-missile destroyer has intercepted and redirected an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, the US Central Command has said. “Yesterday, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel tried to evade the US blockade after leaving Bandar Abbas, exiting the Strait of Hormuz, and transiting along the Iranian coastline,” the command said on X. on Wednesday (local time). “The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) successfully redirected the vessel,…
Seoul, Jan 26 (IANS) South Korea’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back held talks on Monday with US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby to discuss Seoul’s push to build nuclear-powered submarines, regain wartime operation control of its troops from Washington and other pending security issues. Ahn referred to the joint fact sheet the two countries released last year following their leaders’ summit, as well as their recent Security Consultative Meeting, saying their alliance has reache…
Seoul, Dec 29 (IANS) The commander of American forces stationed in South Korea said Monday that Seoul “is not simply responding to threats” on the Korean Peninsula, as Washington has urged Seoul and other regional allies to contribute to safeguarding maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. General Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea (USFK), made the remark at a forum on the alliance with the US, citing the new US National Security Strategy that emphasized the need for Seoul and Tokyo to …