S. Korean, U.S. officials discuss missile defense capabilities against N. Korea

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign and defense vice ministers visited the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in Virginia on Wednesday (local time) and had discussions on the allies' deterrence strategy against North Korea's evolving threats, according to their ministries.

First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul were in the United States for the first Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) session of the allies in four years and eight months. The meeting is slated for Friday.

Cho and Shin visited the headquarters of the MDA and met with Laura DeSimone, executive director of the agency. They were briefed on the layered U.S. missile defense system, and the two sides discussed ways to enhance the allies' joint defense posture against the North's advancing nuclear and missile threats, their ministries said in a press release.

"Close South Korea-U.S. cooperation is needed to deter and counter North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats," Shin was quoted as saying.

Cho also stressed the importance of Washington's missile defense capabilities in its commitment to extended deterrence for Seoul and requested the MDA's support.

Upon his arrival in the U.S. capital earlier in the day, Cho told reporters that the allies plan to have consultations on the issue of the U.S. deployment of "strategic assets" to Korea during the EDSCG session.

"There could be differences from the past in terms of the level of scope (of the strategic asset deployment)," he said, as Seoul and Washington are expected to release a joint statement on the results of the meeting.

Touching on the matter, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a regular press briefing that challenges and threats posed by North Korea in the Indo-Pacific region -- particularly against South Korea and Japan -- are an important agenda item for the EDSCG session.

Separately, Shin visited the Pentagon and met with Heidi Shyu, the under secretary of defense for research and engineering, to discuss bilateral cooperation in high-tech defense projects, his ministry said.

He held bilateral talks with William LaPlante, the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, as well and expressed hope for the expansion of South Korean firms' participation in the U.S. defense supply chain, it added.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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