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| ▲ South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup (second from L) and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (second from R) are seen holding bilateral talks at the U.S. Department of Defense in Washington on July 29, 2022 in this pool photo. (Yonhap) |
US-S Korea-defense chiefs
U.S., S. Korea agree to expand military exercise, resume extended deterrence dialogue
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, July 29 (Yonhap) -- The top defense officials of South Korea and the United States agreed Friday to expand the countries' upcoming joint military exercise and to restart their strategic dialogue on extended deterrence at an early date.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea in his bilateral meeting with South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup here, according to the South Korean defense ministry.
The decision to expand the military exercise comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un lashed out at the allied countries for holding such drills.
"The two ministers agreed to combine their countries' joint military exercise in the second half of 2022 with (South Korea's) government exercise (Ulchi civil contingency exercise) and continue strengthening the allies' deterrence posture, including the ballistic missile defense system and U.S. strategic assets deployed on the Korean Peninsula," Seoul's defense ministry said in a press release.
"The two ministers agreed the security condition on the Korean Peninsula was very serious due to North Korea's continued provocations, and emphasized that the South Korea-U.S. alliance will only solidify in the face of North Korea's provocations," it added.
North Korea is widely anticipated to conduct a nuclear test in the near future, with officials in Seoul and Washington saying the country appears to have completed "all preparations" for what will be its seventh nuclear test.
Pyongyang conducted its sixth and last nuclear test in September 2017.
Austin noted the North Korean regime was currently "engaged in the most active period of missile tests in is history."
North Korea has fired more than 30 ballistic missiles this year, marking the largest number of ballistic missiles launched in a single year.
"Our alliance remains resolute and ready in the face of these dangerous and destabilizing actions," the U.S. secretary of defense said at the top of his meeting with his South Korean counterpart.
Lee underscored the importance of joint efforts by the allies to prevent and counter any North Korean nuclear test.
"We must accurately understand where North Korea stands right now, and I wish we can discuss various ways to better implement the U.S.' commitment to providing extended deterrence, prevent North Korean nuclear tests and how South Korea and the U.S. will react when the North does conduct a nuclear test," he said.
To this end, Austin and Lee agreed to resume the countries' high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) talks at an early date to help boost their joint deterrence, according to the defense ministry.
"The two ministers made it clear that South Korea and the U.S. will jointly take stern measures against a North Korean nuclear test based on their strong joint defense posture should North Korea conduct its seventh nuclear test despite opposition from the international community," it said.
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