에스퍼 美국방장관 오늘 방한 내일 정경두 면담... 회담 의제는?
New U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper arrives in South Korea on Thursday... for one-on-one talks with his South Korean counterpart slated for the following day.
Kim Ji-yeon introduces the issues they're likely to discuss.
Seoul's defense minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper are expected to share their evaluation of security-related issues concerning the Korean peninsula... as well as discuss the main agendas regarding the South Korea-U.S. alliance... at the upcoming meeting on Friday.
Seoul's defense ministry said that includes the envisioned transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul... and the two countries' cooperation for the establishment of lasting peace and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
Media outlets in South Korea have speculated that the two sides will share their assessment of North Korea's newly developed short-range ballistic missiles... and discuss ways to better counter North Korea's evolving missile threats.
The two sides are also expected to discuss South Korea's participation in the U.S.-led coalition to secure shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz ...as well as renewing the military information-sharing pact between South Korea and Japan.
But the ministry said on Thursday the deployment of medium-range weapons in Asia... and cost-sharing for stationing American troops in South Korea are not expected to be discussed in detail by the two chiefs in their upcoming meeting.
Seoul's defense ministry said it plans to release details of their talks on Friday... including the name and duration of the South Korea-U.S. combined military exercise taking place this month.
The two sides kicked off a preliminary session on Monday... in the run-up to their summertime command post combined exercise... meant to test South Korea's initial operational capability for the envisioned OPCON transfer.
"Esper is visiting South Korea as part of his five-nation trip to the Asia-Pacific region.
It's his first overseas trip since taking office last month.
Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News."
