South Korea Pushes Nuclear Submarines, Wartime Control in US Defense Talks

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 reached a "historic turning point" and calling for tangible results in defence cooperation this year, according to his ministry, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Colby pledged to continue efforts to strengthen defence cooperation with South Korea, referring to the country as a model ally of the US.

Both sides agreed that cooperation on Seoul's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines would bolster its capabilities to defend the Korean Peninsula and serve as a key landmark in elevating their alliance to a higher level.

Their discussion also reportedly included the new National Defence Strategy released by the Pentagon last week.

The key document described Seoul as capable of taking 'primary' responsibility to deter North Korea with "critical but more limited" US support, signaling a bigger role for South Korea in deterring threats from North Korea's conventional weapons.

On January 6, South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back visited the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command (CFC) and called for a firm readiness posture in a changing security environment, the defence ministry said.

During the visit to the CFC based at Camp Humphreys, a key US base in Pyeongtaek located some 60 kilometres south of Seoul, Ahn also met with US Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson, who also doubles as the CFC commander, according to the ministry.

In their meeting, Ahn noted how his visit to the command -- his first on-site inspection of the year -- shows the importance of the allies' combined defence posture and called for efforts to swiftly carry out agreements their leaders reached during summit talks in October and an annual security meeting by the allies' defence chiefs the following month.

In the Security Consultative Meeting held in November, the defence chiefs of the two countries agreed to develop a road map designed to 'expedite' the implementation of conditions for the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul, which South Korea seeks to achieve by 2030.

Ahn called the CFC the "heart" of the South Korea-US alliance and called for an unwavering combat readiness posture in a rapidly changing security environment, according to the ministry.

"I hope the CFC plays a central role in 2026 for South Korea and the US to bolster their combined defence posture and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

He also delivered a New Year's message to South Korean and American troops and thanked them for their efforts in supporting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.

- IANS