The Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense held talks over the phone on Mar. 1 and agreed to further strengthen their military alliance in response to North Korean nuclear and missile weapons threats.
During the talks, which lasted some 30 minutes, Minister of National Defense Han Minkoo and U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis agreed to maintain steadfast defense readiness, given North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch. Taking into account the current state of affairs, the leaders affirmed they should mutually and systematically cooperate on policies toward North Korea.
U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis (left) and Minister of National Defense Han Minkoo shake hands prior to the Korea-U.S. defense officials’ meetings in Seoul on Feb. 3. The Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense held talks over the phone on Mar. 1 and agreed to further strengthen their military alliance in response to North Korean nuclear weapons threats.
“The U.S. maintains steadfast in its commitment to defending South Korea. Any attacks toward the U.S. and its allies will be met with counterstrikes. The use of nuclear weapons will be met with effective and overpowering countermeasures,” said Secretary Mattis.
“Korea-U.S. joint military drills, including Key Resolve, a computer-simulated command exercise, and Foal Eagle, a field training exercise involving ground, air and naval forces, have been instrumental in maintaining peace and security on the Korean Peninsula,” said Minister Han. “This year’s drills will be carried out with the same level of intensity as previous years for this very reason,” he said.
Finally, the two defense heads reaffirmed their stance on the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Korea, stating that the purpose of THAAD is to act as a defensive measure to ensure the security of the Korean people and of the Korean and U.S. troops.
By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photo: Ministry of National Defense
hlee10@korea.kr
