Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back to Visit U.S. for First Time Tomorrow; Nuclear Submarine Talks Expected to Intensify

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[Financial News] Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back will visit the United States from Nov. 10 to 14 and hold talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The two sides are expected to discuss major security issues between South Korea and the United States, including the transfer of wartime operational control and cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines.
According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 9th, Ahn will meet Hegseth in Washington, D.C. during his visit and hold a South Korea-U.S. defense ministers' meeting. He also plans to meet with U.S. government and congressional figures, including the acting secretary of the United States Department of the Navy and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. This will be his first visit to the U.S. since taking office in July last year.
The ministry said the trip is intended to review progress on follow-up measures to agreements reached at the South Korea–United States summit and the ROK-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), while also strengthening high-level communication. The transfer of wartime operational control and cooperation on building nuclear-powered submarines are being discussed as key agenda items.
The visit comes as discussions continue over security issues between Seoul and Washington. The government is pursuing the transfer of wartime operational control as a national policy goal during its term and is reviewing a 2028 transition. In contrast, General Xavier T. Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, said during a recent congressional hearing that the target timeframe should be the first quarter of 2029, highlighting a gap in views between the two countries.
Cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines is another major issue. A nuclear-powered submarine generates steam using heat produced by a reactor, and the steam turns a turbine to create propulsion. Unlike diesel-electric submarines, it does not burn fuel and instead uses nuclear fuel. Because it can remain submerged for long periods, it is highly stealthy and has an operational range that is effectively global. It is considered ideal for strategic weapons operations.
\r\nLast year, the two presidents discussed related cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines through a joint fact sheet, but follow-up talks have not gained momentum. Another burden is the recent U.S. request for South Korea's contribution to the resumption of passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
\r\nDuring Ahn's visit, South Korea and the United States will also hold a meeting of the Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 12-13. The meeting is expected to cover the full range of alliance security issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control.
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en1302@fnnews.com Jang In-seo Reporter