Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul: US Sec. Hegseth Called Reports of Rift in Korea-US Alliance 'Fake News'

Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said on the 30th that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called recent reports that a 'rough patch' had hit the Korea-US alliance during their summit 'fake news.' Kang made the remarks while meeting reporters on his way to the Defense Ministry after returning from the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus held in the Philippines. Asked whether there had truly been no disagreements between Seoul and Washington, he replied, "There were no disagreements." Kang added, "Secretary Hegseth said in a word that it was 'fake news,' and I agree," adding that "such reports can neither shake the solidity of the Korea-US alliance, nor should it be shaken."

He was also asked about discussions on the transition of wartime operational control following the talks. When asked whether he and the US side had agreed on the completion of the Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification of the Future Combined Forces Command to set a target year for the transfer of wartime operational control at the Korea-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) early next year, Kang avoided a direct answer. Instead, he assessed it as "a good meeting that reaffirmed the steadfastness of the Korea-US alliance," saying "the biggest achievement was our agreement to align our intentions on the OPCON transition."

Asked whether there had been discussions on promptly resolving the issue of restrictions on intelligence sharing on North Korea, Minister Kang responded, "Militarily, this is a very small part, so we do not have major concerns about it," and said, "You can think of it as a different area of intelligence."