U.S. military leaders in S.Korea for talks on N.Korea, alliance By Reuters

SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other senior military officials will meet in South Korea on Wednesday to discuss plans for the future of their military alliance and threats to North Korea.

Austin was due to arrive on Wednesday evening, while General Mark Milley, president of the U.S. General Assembly, arrived earlier.

Both were scheduled to participate in annual consultation meetings with South Korea, which includes about 28,500 U.S. soldiers as part of the 1950-1953 Korean War legacy, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

The meetings are the first official “Security Consultation Meeting” between allies since US President Joe Biden took office in January.

Seoul wants to convince Washington as a way to protect “an end-of-war declaration” by launching stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea. U.S. officials have expressed support for the statement, but say there may be disagreements with South Korea over the sequence of such measures.

North Korea accuses South Korea and the U.S. of escalating tensions with their joint military activities, while the Allies say they need to repel their forces in the North.

Another issue that will be Seoul’s main agenda is South Korea’s efforts to gain “operational control” of the wartime combined military forces. Today, a U.S. general would command these forces in a war.

This transition has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to the cancellation of military simulations and other meetings.

On Wednesday, he met with General Milley In-Choul Won, president of the United States Chief of Staff, according to a joint statement.

“In the discussions, General Milley and General Won acknowledged the lasting alliance and highlighted the important progress made in strengthening cooperation,” the statement said.

Milley also stressed the U.S.’s commitment to providing South Korea with “widespread deterrence,” referring to the oath that Washington will defend its ally with nuclear weapons if necessary.

Austin Suh Wook is scheduled to meet with Defense Minister on Thursday, as well as attend a series of events.