South Korea's Ahn Gyu-back to meet Hegseth in Washington for OPCON, submarine talks
Synopsis
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back heads to Washington for his first US visit in office, carrying a packed agenda: a disputed 2028 OPCON transfer timeline, stalled nuclear submarine talks, Strait of Hormuz cooperation, and a simmering intelligence-sharing row over North Korea. The trip signals Seoul's urgency to lock in defence gains while the Trump administration remains in office.
Key Takeaways
Ahn Gyu-back will hold talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington on Monday (US time) during a five-day visit starting Sunday .
South Korea is targeting 2028 for the wartime OPCON transfer, but US Forces Korea commander Gen.
Xavier Brunson told Congress the conditions may not be met until the first quarter of 2029 .
South Korea handed wartime operational control to the US-led United Nations Command during the 1950–53 Korean War ; peacetime OPCON was retaken in 1994 .
Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines with US support has seen little progress since President Trump gave the green light at a summit in October last year .
An intelligence-sharing row has emerged after a South Korean minister reportedly disclosed that North Korea's Kusong region hosts a uranium enrichment facility, allegedly based on US-shared intelligence.
The two sides may also discuss South Korea's potential role in the US-proposed
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back will travel to Washington next week for talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, the South Korean defence ministry confirmed on Saturday, 9 May. The five-day visit — Ahn's first to the United States in his current role — comes as the two allies navigate a range of pressing bilateral defence issues, most notably the long-delayed transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) and Seoul's ambitions to build nuclear-powered submarines.
Visit Details and Agenda
Ahn is set to depart Sunday and hold formal ministerial talks with Hegseth on Monday (US time). Beyond the one-on-one meeting, the minister is scheduled to meet acting US Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, as well as key members of the US Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. A high-level bilateral defence dialogue is also scheduled in Washington following the ministerial talks, with OPCON listed as a central agenda item.
The OPCON Transfer Dispute
President Lee Jae Myung's government has made
Point of View
Betting that a Republican White House is more receptive to South Korean strategic autonomy than a potential successor might be. But Gen. Brunson's Congressional testimony — projecting readiness no earlier than Q1 2029 — effectively tells Seoul that its 2028 target is optimistic at best. The nuclear submarine file adds another layer: Trump's verbal green light last October has not translated into a framework agreement, and without one, South Korea's self-reliant defence doctrine remains aspirational. The intelligence-sharing row over North Korea's Kusong facility is the wildcard — if Washington curtails intelligence flows, Seoul's ability to independently assess the North's capabilities, the very foundation of OPCON readiness, is weakened.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back visiting the United States?
Ahn Gyu-back is visiting Washington for talks with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on key bilateral defence issues including the wartime OPCON transfer, nuclear-powered submarine cooperation, and North Korea intelligence sharing. It is his first visit to the US since taking office as defence minister.
What is the OPCON transfer and why does it matter?
Wartime Operational Control (OPCON) refers to the authority to command South Korean forces during a conflict, which has remained with the US since the 1950–53 Korean War. South Korea retook peacetime OPCON in 1994 but is now pushing to reclaim wartime command by 2028, ahead of President Lee Jae Myung's term ending in 2030.
What is the disagreement between Seoul and Washington on the OPCON timeline?
South Korea is targeting 2028 for the OPCON transfer, while US Forces Korea commander Gen. Xavier Brunson told Congress last month that conditions may not be met until the first quarter of 2029 — potentially after President Trump's term ends on 20 January 2029.
What is the nuclear submarine dispute between South Korea and the US?
South Korea is seeking US support to build nuclear-powered submarines as part of its self-reliant defence strategy. President Trump gave the green light during a summit with President Lee in October last year, but there has been little concrete progress since then.
What is the intelligence-sharing row between the US and South Korea?
Tensions emerged after a South Korean minister disclosed that North Korea's Kusong region hosts a uranium enrichment facility, which the US suspects was based on intelligence it had shared with Seoul. Washington has since raised concerns about intelligence-sharing protocols with South Korea.
