Seoul, Washington hold working-level talks on N.K. WMD threats

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States have held working-level talks in Seoul over joint efforts to counter North Korea's nuclear threats and those from its weapons of mass destruction (WMD), the defense ministry here said Thursday.

Kim Sung-min, the ministry's director-general of policy planning, and Richard Johnson, the deputy U.S. assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and countering WMD policy, led the session of the Countering WMD Committee (CWMDC) on Wednesday.

The meeting came amid speculation Pyongyang has completed all key preparations for what would be its seventh nuclear test and is looking for the right timing.

"South Korea and the U.S. have agreed to continue to develop and strengthen related cooperation to effectively deter North Korea's WMD threats and respond if necessary," the ministry said in a press release.

While here, the U.S. delegation plans to visit the South Korean military's CBRN Defense Command. CBRN stands for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear.

In 1997, the allies launched the working-level dialogue then named the Counter Proliferation Working Group. It was renamed the CWMDC with added functions in 2016. The committee held no meetings in 2020 and last year due to COVID-19.

colin@yna.co.kr
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