Kim Hong-chul, Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy, shakes hands with George LeMeur, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, during the 29th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) held in Busan on the 17th. / Ministry of National Defense

The Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD), a high-level consultative body between the defense authorities of South Korea and the U.S., announced in a joint statement on the 19th that both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation to expedite the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON).

The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea and the U.S. Department of Defense held the 29th KIDD meeting in Busan, South Korea, from the 16th to the 18th.

The meeting was led by Kim Hong-cheol, Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy of South Korea, and George LeMeur, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, as chief representatives, and attended by key defense and foreign affairs officials from both nations.

Both sides assessed the progress and outcomes of implementing follow-up measures from the defense section of last year's bilateral joint fact sheet and the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) Joint Communique. They evaluated achievements made toward modernizing the alliance in response to the changing security environment. In addition, they reviewed past efforts regarding the conditions-based OPCON transition and agreed to bolster cooperation to accelerate the transfer.

The two countries plan to convene the SCM in Washington this November, attended by defense chiefs from both sides. The Ministry of National Defense aims to complete the Full Operational Capability (FOC) validation of the future Combined Forces Command at the upcoming SCM and finalize "Year X," the target year for the OPCON transition.

To further deepen cooperation in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) within the shipbuilding and aviation sectors, the delegations jointly toured key defense industry sites, enhancing mutual understanding on critical defense issues. Both sides agreed to maintain close and sustained consultations on alliance security matters going forward.

Meanwhile, this marks the first time since KIDD's inception in 2011 that the meeting has been held in a third location outside Seoul or Washington, D.C. The Ministry of National Defense noted that the venue was selected to highlight both nations' commitment to maritime cooperation and to underscore the capabilities of the South Korean shipbuilding industry.

                                                                                                               Lee Han-sol