WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- The Korean and U.S. defense and foreign ministers will hold a so-called "two-plus-two" meeting in Washington next week, officials here said Tuesday.
The allies launched the dialogue channel in 2010 and the talks, slated for Thursday, will be the second session.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will attend the meeting. Their Korean counterparts will be Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin.
The four will have a meeting at the State Department on Thursday, a department spokesperson said on the customary condition of anonymity.
"This meeting follows President Obama's visit to Seoul in March to attend the Nuclear Security Summit and President Lee's state visit to Washington in October 2011," the official added. "These consultations further strengthen our alliance, advance our partnership on a broad range of global and regional issues, and enhance our close coordination on the DPRK.”
The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which is North Korea's formal name.
A source at the South Korean defense ministry in Seoul said the ministers are expected to issue a strong warning against North Korea for possible future provocations.
The North launched a long-range rocket in April and it may conduct another nuclear test.
In the two-plus-two talks, the two sides are also expected to discuss a future role of 28,500 American troops in Korea, according to the source.