Defense minister visits U.S. military base to check combined readiness

SEOUL, March 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook on Wednesday visited a key U.S. military base south of Seoul to inspect the allies' combined defense posture, his office said, hours after North Korea's apparently botched missile launch.

During his visit to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of the capital, Suh met with Gen. Paul LaCamera, the chief of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), and other senior officials of the CFC and the U.N. Command.

Earlier in the day, the North fired an apparent ballistic missile, but it apparently exploded in midair, military sources here said.

"Under the grave security situation, I call on you to focus on the CFC's core mission of defending the Republic of Korea based on the solid combined defense posture," Suh was quoted by his ministry as saying.

He also stressed the importance of maintaining military readiness based on cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. at a time when Seoul is undergoing a presidential transition.

LaCamera said that the CFC will continue to maintain "unwavering" readiness based on close cooperation between the allies, as well as the spirit of the alliance's motto, "We go together," according to the ministry.

During the visit there, Suh was also briefed on progress in the project to relocate the CFC headquarters to Camp Humphreys later this year and met South Korean and U.S. troops stationed there.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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