ID :
18856
Wed, 09/10/2008 - 21:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/18856
The shortlink copeid
Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US to meet Oct. 17 for annual talks
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee will travel to the United States next month for an annual meeting with his U.S. counterpart Robert Gates, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
The date was fixed at a regular security meeting, known as the Security Policy
Initiative (SPI), held here earlier Wednesday, according to ministry officials.
"The sides agreed to hold the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on Oct. 17
and to continue to hold working-level talks to set the agenda for the ministerial
meeting," Jeon Jei-guk, deputy defense minister for policy, told reporters.
The SPI is held every two to three months in Seoul and Washington.
"We generally discussed a number of issues, such as the scheduled transfer
of the wartime operational control of South Korean troops from Washington to
Seoul in 2012, but there were no agreements reached, as most of the issues are
still ongoing, and we continue to check our progress," Jeon said.
The meeting drew keen attention as it was the first defense meeting between the
two allies following a summit between South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and
his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao last month, at which the two agreed to improve
their countries' military ties.
One way to improve South Korea-China relations is to allow China's observation of
joint South Korean-U.S. military exercises, pending approval by Washington, Jeon
said.
He, however, said Wednesday's SPI did not address the issue as the meeting
generally focuses on bilateral issues.
Another key agenda for the upcoming ministerial talks is sharing of costs to
maintain the U.S. military presence in Korea, but Jeon, Seoul's chief delegate to
the SPI, said the issue is also being dealt with through different dialogue
channels between diplomats.
Still, a new deal on cost-sharing will be sealed at the SCM should the sides be
able to reach an agreement, known as Special Measures Agreement, by then,
according to ministry officials.
The U.S. currently maintains some 28,500 troops in South Korea, which technically
remains at war with North Korea as the 1950-53 Korean War ended only with an
armistice, not a peace treaty.
The date was fixed at a regular security meeting, known as the Security Policy
Initiative (SPI), held here earlier Wednesday, according to ministry officials.
"The sides agreed to hold the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on Oct. 17
and to continue to hold working-level talks to set the agenda for the ministerial
meeting," Jeon Jei-guk, deputy defense minister for policy, told reporters.
The SPI is held every two to three months in Seoul and Washington.
"We generally discussed a number of issues, such as the scheduled transfer
of the wartime operational control of South Korean troops from Washington to
Seoul in 2012, but there were no agreements reached, as most of the issues are
still ongoing, and we continue to check our progress," Jeon said.
The meeting drew keen attention as it was the first defense meeting between the
two allies following a summit between South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and
his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao last month, at which the two agreed to improve
their countries' military ties.
One way to improve South Korea-China relations is to allow China's observation of
joint South Korean-U.S. military exercises, pending approval by Washington, Jeon
said.
He, however, said Wednesday's SPI did not address the issue as the meeting
generally focuses on bilateral issues.
Another key agenda for the upcoming ministerial talks is sharing of costs to
maintain the U.S. military presence in Korea, but Jeon, Seoul's chief delegate to
the SPI, said the issue is also being dealt with through different dialogue
channels between diplomats.
Still, a new deal on cost-sharing will be sealed at the SCM should the sides be
able to reach an agreement, known as Special Measures Agreement, by then,
according to ministry officials.
The U.S. currently maintains some 28,500 troops in South Korea, which technically
remains at war with North Korea as the 1950-53 Korean War ended only with an
armistice, not a peace treaty.
