U.S., South Korean Defense Chiefs to Visit JSA on November 3rd

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will jointly visit the Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom on November 3, 2025. This joint visit is part of Hegseth's official schedule during his visit to South Korea for the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between the U.S. and South Korea. The two defense chiefs are expected to deliver a direct message to North Korea through their inspection of the JSA.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, this joint JSA visit is expected to be an important opportunity to demonstrate the strong alliance between South Korea and the U.S. and to confirm the two countries' shared understanding of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Following the JSA visit, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth will visit Camp Humphreys, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) base located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Camp Humphreys is a core base for USFK and plays a crucial role in the combined defense posture of South Korea and the U.S.

This visit to Camp Humphreys is meaningful as it reaffirms the solidity of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and emphasizes the role and importance of USFK. Secretary Hegseth is expected to encourage the troops at Camp Humphreys and inspect the combined defense posture of the two countries.

Secretary Hegseth's visit to South Korea is primarily for the purpose of attending the 57th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on November 4. The SCM is an annual meeting attended by the defense chiefs of the U.S. and South Korea to assess the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and discuss cooperation measures on major security issues.

At this SCM, in-depth assessments of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, as well as ways to strengthen the implementation of extended deterrence, are expected to be major agenda items. Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. protecting its allies from North Korea's nuclear and missile threats by mobilizing its nuclear umbrella, missile defense, and conventional strike capabilities.

The U.S. and South Korea are expected to focus on seeking joint countermeasures against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and strengthening the deterrence of the U.S.-South Korea alliance through the SCM. In particular, they are expected to share assessments of North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile capabilities and discuss tailored deterrence strategies to address them.

The South Korean government plans to further solidify the U.S.-South Korea alliance and continuously promote efforts for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through this SCM. To this end, it will maintain close coordination with the U.S. and strive to create conditions for the resumption of dialogue with North Korea.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek emphasized at the SCM meeting that "the U.S.-South Korea alliance is a key pillar of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia," and stated that "we will maintain a solid combined defense posture that can resolutely respond to any provocation from North Korea."

U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth also emphasized that "the U.S. will firmly uphold its defense commitment to South Korea and protect South Korea from North Korea's nuclear threat through extended deterrence." He added, "The U.S.-South Korea alliance will be further strengthened based on shared values and trust."

This joint visit to the JSA by the U.S. and South Korean defense chiefs is seen as a symbolic move demonstrating a shared understanding and willingness to cooperate regarding the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. Experts analyze that this visit will have the effect of sending a strong warning message to North Korea and demonstrating the strength of the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

In addition, this joint JSA visit is expected to serve as an opportunity to show the international community that the U.S. and South Korea are closely cooperating to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue. The government plans to continue its efforts for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through cooperation with the U.S. in the future.