S. Korea, U.S. discuss N. Korea, alliance issues in annual military talks

SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States held their regular defense talks here this week on North Korea and a range of pending alliance issues, Seoul's defense ministry said Wednesday.

Agenda items in the two-day Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) session from Tuesday included ways for the operation of the advanced U.S. missile defense system, called THAAD, deployed in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and other ways to bolster deterrence against evolving North Korean threats.

Also discussed was how to strengthen trilateral security cooperation with Japan, including the issue of the General Security of Military Information of Agreement (GSOMIA) between Seoul and Tokyo.

South Korea was represented by Deputy Defense Minister for Policy Heo Tae-keun and the American delegation was led by Siddharth Mohandas, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia.

The two sides shared information and assessments on activities at the secretive North's underground nuclear testing site in Punggye-ri, according to the ministry. The North has reportedly completed preparations for another nuclear test there.

They also agreed to expand the size and scope of their combined exercises on the occasion of the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise that is set to begin next week, the ministry added,

In tandem with the KIDD meeting, the allies held the Deterrence Strategy Committee (DSC) as well, during which Washington reaffirmed its commitment to mobilizing a full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear options, to defend South Korea.

colin@yna.co.kr
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