South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul met with US Ambassador Michelle Steel in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss key alliance priorities, including the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON — currently held by the United States — back to South Korean command) and the planned relocation of Gwangju Air Base, a facility shared with US forces. Seoul is pushing to reclaim OPCON before President Lee Jae Myung's term ends in 2030, possibly as soon as next year, though Washington has signaled caution about moving too quickly. The two sides also addressed plans to move Gwangju Air Base to clear the way for a major semiconductor development zone in the country's southwestern Honam region, with both officials pledging close coordination to advance the bilateral alliance.