U.S. Secretary of Defense arrives in Seoul

 

 

By Steve Yoon

 

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in South Korea on Monday and is schedueld to hold talks with his Seoul's counterpart over North Korean nuclear and other security issues. 

 

The talks are expected to focus on ways to improve the readiness of the U.S. extended deterrence, including the discussion-based table-top exercise that the allies are planning to hold in the U.S. next month. They are also likely to talk over trilateral cooperation with Japan to cope with North Korea's missile provocations.

 

In line with this, Austin could explain the outcome of the summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House earlier this month.

 

At the summit, Biden threw his weight behind Japan's push to beef up its military capabilities under its newly revised key security documents. His backing came as some South Koreans still harbor doubts over the security push by Japan, which they believe has yet to fully atone for its colonial-era wrongdoings.

 

The U.S. defense secretary is reportedly scheduled to meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol. Austin said in a contribution to the Yonhap News Agency that if an adversary challenges either South Korea or the U.S., it would be like challenging the alliance as a whole. 

 

 

[저작권자ⓒ 산경투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]

출처 : 산경투데이(https://www.sankyungtoday.com)

 

 

U.S. Secretary of Defense arrives in Seoul (sankyungtoday.com)

U.S. Secretary of Defense arrives in Seoul