Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. held talks on Friday
- 5 years ago
에스퍼, 한미국방장관 회담서 "한미동맹은 철통…평화안보 핵심축"
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has discussed bilateral security issues with his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo.
They touched upon the issues of North Korea and transfer of wartime operational control, but the highly-anticipated issue of defense-sharing costs was not brought to the table.
Kim Ji-yeon has more on today's talks.
Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper reaffirmed that the South Korea, U.S. alliance is "iron clad" and serves as the "linchpin" of peace and security both on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.
He said that the two countries share the same vision of a peaceful Korean Peninsula as well as a free, open Indo-Pacific region.
Esper added that Washington is willing to engage diplomatically with Pyeongyang to make progress on all the commitments made in the Singapore joint statement to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea.
"Together with our allies from around the region, we will remain resolute in our enforcement of the United Nations Security Council resolutions before the North engages in the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
Esper also wanted to acknowledge the progress made towards the conditions-based transition of the wartime operational control of the combined forces command from a U.S. commander to a South Korean commander.
He said this shows the strength and trust between the allies that no adversaries can match.
The two countries kicked off a preliminary session on Monday... in the run-up to their summertime command post combined exercise... meant to test South Korea's initial operational capability, or IOC, for the envisioned OPCON transfer.
Seoul's defense ministry said the two sides agreed to continue discussing the results of the IOC run-through... at the Security Consultative Meeting held later this year.
Meanwhile, Jeong said Esper's visit is meaningful regarding the security situation South Korea currently faces... citing the entry of Chinese and Russian aircrafts into South Korea's air defense identification zone... as well as a Russian aircraft trespassing into South Korean airspace.
"Jeong also said that the series of short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea are not helping ease military tensions on the peninsula... and that Tokyo's economic retaliatory measures are hurting the three-way security posture of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News."
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has discussed bilateral security issues with his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo.
They touched upon the issues of North Korea and transfer of wartime operational control, but the highly-anticipated issue of defense-sharing costs was not brought to the table.
Kim Ji-yeon has more on today's talks.
Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper reaffirmed that the South Korea, U.S. alliance is "iron clad" and serves as the "linchpin" of peace and security both on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.
He said that the two countries share the same vision of a peaceful Korean Peninsula as well as a free, open Indo-Pacific region.
Esper added that Washington is willing to engage diplomatically with Pyeongyang to make progress on all the commitments made in the Singapore joint statement to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea.
"Together with our allies from around the region, we will remain resolute in our enforcement of the United Nations Security Council resolutions before the North engages in the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
Esper also wanted to acknowledge the progress made towards the conditions-based transition of the wartime operational control of the combined forces command from a U.S. commander to a South Korean commander.
He said this shows the strength and trust between the allies that no adversaries can match.
The two countries kicked off a preliminary session on Monday... in the run-up to their summertime command post combined exercise... meant to test South Korea's initial operational capability, or IOC, for the envisioned OPCON transfer.
Seoul's defense ministry said the two sides agreed to continue discussing the results of the IOC run-through... at the Security Consultative Meeting held later this year.
Meanwhile, Jeong said Esper's visit is meaningful regarding the security situation South Korea currently faces... citing the entry of Chinese and Russian aircrafts into South Korea's air defense identification zone... as well as a Russian aircraft trespassing into South Korean airspace.
"Jeong also said that the series of short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea are not helping ease military tensions on the peninsula... and that Tokyo's economic retaliatory measures are hurting the three-way security posture of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News."