Hegseth calls talk of shaky S. Korea-U.S. alliance 'fake news:' Seoul's defense minister

South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed reports of tensions in the South Korea-U.S. alliance as "fake news" after their meeting in October 2026. They agreed to align views on the wartime operational control (OPCON) transition, despite postponing the annual Security Consultative Meeting to early 2027. Kang emphasized the alliance remains strong and the OPCON transfer is a priority for Seoul before 2030.