ID :
24400
Tue, 10/14/2008 - 15:39
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/24400
The shortlink copeid
S. Korean defense minister heads to Washington for annual talks By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee left on Tuesday for Washington, where he will hold regular security talks with his counterpart Robert M. Gates just weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential election.
The Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) will be held on Friday (Washington time),
one day after top military officers and chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
from the two nations meet in the U.S. capital for their annual talks, the Defense
Ministry said.
"At the 40th SCM to be held since the first meeting in 1968, the two ministers
will reaffirm the strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and their joint
defense posture and discuss ways to develop the alliance into a future-oriented
alliance of the 21st century as agreed by their heads of state," the ministry
said in a statement.
Many believe, however, that the highest-level security talks between the two
allies will not produce a notable outcome, as they are to be held less than three
weeks before Americans go to the polls for the Nov. 4 presidential election.
"There will not likely be any new major agreements between the countries, but the
holding of the defense ministerial talks itself is very significant in that it
demonstrates the strength of the alliance even in times of such political
change," a ministry official said, pointing out that both of the countries have
undergone numerous elections and political changes during their half-a-century
alliance.
One of the top issues for discussion is the scheduled transfer of wartime
operational control of South Korean troops back to Seoul in 2012. According to
top American generals in Korea, the move would put the two allies on "truly equal
footing" for first time in over 50 years.
Lee and Gates will also seal an agreement finalizing the sale of hundreds of
thousands of tons of U.S. war reserve munitions to South Korea, according to
ministry officials.
The South Korean minister is also set to give a special lecture on the future of
the South Korea-U.S. alliance in a forum to be attended by a number of former
U.S. ambassadors to Korea and commanders of U.S. Forces Korea, the ministry said.
The forum will be held Wednesday at a Washington hotel.
The annual meeting between the chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, known as
the Military Committee Meeting, will be held Thursday, involving South Korea's
Army Gen. Kim Tae-young and his U.S. counterpart Adm. Mike Mullen.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
The Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) will be held on Friday (Washington time),
one day after top military officers and chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
from the two nations meet in the U.S. capital for their annual talks, the Defense
Ministry said.
"At the 40th SCM to be held since the first meeting in 1968, the two ministers
will reaffirm the strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and their joint
defense posture and discuss ways to develop the alliance into a future-oriented
alliance of the 21st century as agreed by their heads of state," the ministry
said in a statement.
Many believe, however, that the highest-level security talks between the two
allies will not produce a notable outcome, as they are to be held less than three
weeks before Americans go to the polls for the Nov. 4 presidential election.
"There will not likely be any new major agreements between the countries, but the
holding of the defense ministerial talks itself is very significant in that it
demonstrates the strength of the alliance even in times of such political
change," a ministry official said, pointing out that both of the countries have
undergone numerous elections and political changes during their half-a-century
alliance.
One of the top issues for discussion is the scheduled transfer of wartime
operational control of South Korean troops back to Seoul in 2012. According to
top American generals in Korea, the move would put the two allies on "truly equal
footing" for first time in over 50 years.
Lee and Gates will also seal an agreement finalizing the sale of hundreds of
thousands of tons of U.S. war reserve munitions to South Korea, according to
ministry officials.
The South Korean minister is also set to give a special lecture on the future of
the South Korea-U.S. alliance in a forum to be attended by a number of former
U.S. ambassadors to Korea and commanders of U.S. Forces Korea, the ministry said.
The forum will be held Wednesday at a Washington hotel.
The annual meeting between the chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, known as
the Military Committee Meeting, will be held Thursday, involving South Korea's
Army Gen. Kim Tae-young and his U.S. counterpart Adm. Mike Mullen.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
