We start with the Security Consultative Meeting,... or S-C-M,... the annual top defense dialogue between South Korea and the U.S.
There was a lot to chew over as the allies prepare to transfer wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul.
Our defense ministry correspondent Park Ji-won reports.
During this year's annual alliance meeting held in Washington,... South Korea's Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his U.S. counterpart James Mattis signed a strategic guideline on combined defense that will take effect after the transition of wartime operational control in the future.
They agreed that, when South Korea takes control from the U.S., the Combined Forces Command between the two countries will continue as the post-OPCON transition Combined Forces Command to maintain the allies' defense posture.
However, the current U.S.-led Combined Forces Command will become an ROK-led command,... with a South Korean four-star general or admiral leading it,.. while an American general or an admiral will serve as deputy commander.
They also agreed to continue to maintain the UN Command,... which has functioned as a guardian of the armistice agreement for the past 65 years,... preventing an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
The two confirmed U.S. Forces Kores will also continue to be stationed in South Korea,.. even after the OPCON transfer is complete.
"This year's SCM has greater importance and significance than any other meeting, not just due to the fact that it's the 50th of its kind, but also because it comes at a time in which we embark on an audacious journey toward denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula."
"Signing this document we also reaffirm the continued presence of U.S. troops stationed on the Korean peninsula, in fulfillment of U.S. commitment to establish 65 years ago in our mutual defense treaty."
The allies also agreed to further strengthen their mutual cooperation in other issues, such as regional security issues, cyber and space security.
A decision on a major joint air defense exercise was also finally made.
During the meeting, Seoul and Washington agreed to suspend this year's Vigilant Ace,... originally scheduled to be held in December.
The move is aimed at strengthening current diplomatic efforts to negotiate with North Korea.
This year marked the 50th anniversary of the SCM since the annual meeting was launched back in 1968 to play a key role in fine tuning alliance-related matters.
Next year's meeting will take place in Seoul.
Park Ji-won, Arirang News.
