Defense chiefs of S. Korea, China to address N. Korean nuclear test

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministers of South Korea and China were to
meet Tuesday in Beijing to discuss ways of jointly responding to the North Korean
nuclear test that has escalated tensions in the region, an official here said.

North Korea conducted its second underground nuclear test on Monday, drawing
condemnation from around the world. China, which is believed to have received
prior notice, said it was "resolutely opposed" to the test, while South Korea
denounced the move as "intolerable."
"The two sides are likely to try to come up with an agreement on ways to address
the test," said Cho Baek-sang, international policy director at the Ministry of
National Defense in Seoul.
South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee was to fly to Beijing later Tuesday
and meet with his counterpart, Gen. Liang Guanglie, Cho said.
The trip, arranged ahead of the atomic test, was initially scheduled to end
Thursday, but the latest development on the Korean Peninsula forced Lee to
shorten his itinerary to two days, Cho said.
North Korea conducted its first test in October 2006. It has recently fired a
long-range rocket, claiming it put a satellite in orbit. The U.S. and its allies
say the launch was a disguised test of ballistic missile technology.
Monday's nuclear detonation was followed by firings of short-range missiles on
the east coast, further raising tension on the divided peninsula, South Korean
officials said.
South and North Korea remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War
ended in a truce.
Lee will fly Friday to Singapore where he will hold tripartite talks with his
counterparts from the U.S. and Japan on the sidelines of a security forum and
discuss the North Korean issue, his aides said.
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)