Korean, US Marine chiefs discuss expanding military cooperation, joint drills

Korean Marine Corps commandant Lt. Gen. Ju Il-suk, left, and his U.S. counterpart Gen. Eric M. Smith salute during a welcoming event at the U.S. Department of War in Washington, Tuesday. Courtesy of Republic of Korea Marine Corps

The chiefs of the Korean and U.S. Marine Corps have discussed ways to expand military cooperation and joint drills in a bid to strengthen their combined defense readiness posture, officials said Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Ju Il-suk held talks with his U.S. counterpart, Gen. Eric M. Smith, at the Pentagon, near Washington, on Tuesday (local time), according to Korea's Marine Corps.

The two sides shared the understanding that the allies' Marines will make efforts to bolster a combined defense posture even after the U.S. transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul.

Smith underscored the role of the Marine Corps in forming a "strong and lasting" alliance, and voiced hope to continue their joint drills and personnel exchanges to contribute to the security on the Korean Peninsula.

Meanwhile, Ju also visited a Korean War veterans memorial, the Arlington National Cemetery and the Korean War memorial commemorating the Changjin Reservoir Battle to pay respects to U.S. soldiers who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War.

The visit, scheduled from June 1-7, comes at the invitation of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command.