Seoul, Washington to hold first military dialogue since U.S. election

SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will hold next week
their first regular military dialogue since the U.S. presidential election, a
Defense Ministry official said Monday, amid reports that U.S. Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates will continue to serve in his post under the incoming
administration.
The top agenda for the upcoming talks, known as the Security Policy Initiative
(SPI), will be the scheduled relocation of frontline U.S. bases to south of
Seoul, the official said, asking not to be identified.
The talks will be held in Washington Dec. 12.
"The sides will discuss various security issues, including the relocation of U.S.
Forces Korea and the outcome of a recent study on the base relocation," the
official said.
Seoul and Washington last year sanctioned a study on the relocation project to
have a clearer idea of how much it will cost and how long it will take to
complete.
The countries earlier agreed to complete the project by 2012, but earlier reports
said the study suggests a delay of up to four years, which both Seoul and
Washington have dismissed as unacceptable.
The sides are expected to officially announce the outcome of the study following
their strategic dialogue next week, according to the ministry official.
The talks come amid worsening relations between the divided Koreas, but the
official said next week's SPI is unlikely to touch on the issue, noting the
dialogue will mainly focus only on issues related to the South Korea-U.S.
alliance.
Currently some 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed here as a legacy of the 1950-53
Korean War. The two Koreas technically remain at war as the Korean War ended only
with an armistice, a ceasefire, and not a peace treaty.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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