Allies will discuss N. Korea, THAAD
By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea will begin military talks with the Donald Trump administration next month to discuss North Korea’s missile threats and other challenging bilateral issues, according to the Ministry of National Defense, Wednesday.
The ministry said the two nations are arranging talks between Defense Minister Han Min-koo and U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis in Seoul early next month, which will be their first defense chiefs’ meeting since Trump’s inauguration last week.
“Consultation is currently underway to arrange the talks,” a ministry official said on condition of anonymity. “We are fine-tuning the detailed schedule.”
Citing U.S. government officials, Japan’s Kyodo News and NHK also reported that Mattis is planning to visit Japan and South Korea on his first overseas trip after he was named to head the Pentagon.
Officials here said it is quite rare for the defense chiefs’ talks to be held before a foreign ministers’ meeting takes place, noting that it reflects the two sides are putting considerable significance on defense issues.
During the envisioned talks, Han and Mattis are expected to mainly discuss ways to better deter Pyongyang’s evolving nuclear and missile threats. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year address that the North has entered the final stages of preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of about 10,000 kilometers, capable of hitting targets on the U.S. mainland.
On his inauguration day, President Trump also made it clear that the United States will develop a state-of-the-art missile defense system to protect against missile-based attacks from countries such as North Korea and Iran.
In this regard, the top defense officials are highly likely to reaffirm the allies’ decision made in July last year to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here this year despite China’s ongoing protests and various actions in retaliation.
China believes that the X-band radar of the THAAD system could be used to spy on the country’s missile capabilities despite Seoul and Washington’s assurance that the system is only designed to defend against the North’s missiles.
The cost-sharing for the upkeep of the U.S. Forces Korea could also be on the agenda amid growing expectations that the newly inaugurated U.S. administration may demand Seoul to raise its contribution.
During the presidential campaign, Trump argued that it made no sense for the U.S. to pay to defend wealthy allies like Japan and South Korea, and should consider pulling out of these countries unless they pay more.
In a recent message sent to the Department of Defense right after assuming the post, Mattis said, “Recognizing that no nation is secure without friends, we will work with the State Department to strengthen our alliances.”
For his part, ROK Marine Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Lee Sang-hoon will visit the United States from Feb. 9 to 15 to meet with military leaders there, including Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
Lee will also meet with Gen. Robert B. Neller, the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Lt. Gen. David H. Berger, the commanding general of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific.
“Lee will discuss measures to expand the role of the Marine Corps of the two nations to strengthen the Seoul-Washington alliance,” a Marine Corps official said, adding that Lee is set to act as a bridge between the two countries as Defense Secretary Mattis was a former Marine Corps general, while JCS Chairman Dunford is an incumbent one.
Meanwhile, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Jeong Kyeong-doo is also planning to visit the U.S. next month to support the Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) T-X competition there, in which the company teamed up with Lockheed Martin to offer T-50As for the U.S. Air Force’s T-X contract to build 350 trainer jets.