JCS chairman heads to Hawaii for talks with U.S., Japanese counterparts

Defense 09:44 April 28, 2021

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Won In-choul was to depart for Hawaii on Wednesday for talks with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts to discuss the security situation in the region, his office said.

Won is scheduled to meet with Gen. Mark Milley and Gen. Koji Yamazaki on Thursday (Hawaii time) to discuss ways to strengthen "multilateral cooperation to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia," according to the military.

Such trilateral face-to-face talks were last held in October 2019. The three sides held a teleconference in November last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The planned meeting comes as the United States is working to boost its ties with allies and partner nations to better deal with a provocative North Korea and an assertive China.

On Friday, Won will attend the change-of-command ceremony of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, where Adm. John Aquilino, who currently serves as the commander of the Pacific Fleet, is set to replace Adm. Phil Davidson.

During his visit, Won also plans to meet with senior U.S. military officials to discuss strengthening the two countries' defense cooperation and other pending issues, it said.