U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shook hands with his Korean counterpart Ahn Kyu-back in Seoul on Tuesday before an annual security cooperation meeting.

The pair are expected to discuss and coordinate on key military policies, including nuclear-powered submarines, the transfer of wartime operational control, and defense spending.

His visit comes days after Trump traveled to South Korea for meetings with world leaders, including South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju.

During his meeting with Trump on Wednesday last week, Lee reaffirmed South Korea's commitment to increase defense spending to reduce the financial burden on America and also called for U.S. support in South Korean efforts to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

Trump later said on social media that the United States will share closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, and that the vessel will be built in the Philly Shipyard, which was bought last year by South Korea’s Hanwha Group.

The leaders also advanced trade talks, addressing details of $350 billion in U.S. investments South Korea committed to in an effort to avoid the Trump administration's highest tariffs