South Korea-US Integrated Defense Council Meeting... Evaluation of 'Progress in Preparation for Wartime Operational Control Transfer'

Rapid Relocation of Combined Forces Command to Proceed
Meetings on 9th and 11th... ROK-US Delegations Emphasize Strengthening Combined Defense Posture
Cooperation to Enhance Effectiveness of 'Tailored Deterrence Strategy' Against North Korea's Nuclear and Missile Threats

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of National Defense announced that it held the 18th Korea-US Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) over two days on the 9th and 11th with the US Department of Defense.

The delegations from both countries discussed various issues concerning the Korea-US alliance via video conference due to travel restrictions caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The meeting was attended by Jeong Seok-hwan, Director of Defense Policy at the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense, David Helvey, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs of the United States Department of Defense, and Heino Klinck, Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia, representing both sides, along with key defense and diplomatic officials from both countries.

The Korea-US delegations emphasized the importance of strengthening the robust combined defense posture of the Korea-US alliance to respond to the recent security situation on the Korean Peninsula and mutual regional security issues. They agreed to continue bilateral security cooperation through high-level policy consultations, information sharing, and personnel exchanges to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeast Asia region.

Additionally, both sides agreed on the importance of stable access to training facilities and other key operational facilities essential for maintaining a strong combined defense posture. Ahead of this year's Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), they reviewed progress on the joint study of the Combined Joint Multi-Purpose Live-Fire Training Range and discussed future plans. They reaffirmed their shared goal of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula and the complete denuclearization of North Korea, and agreed to continue close cooperation in implementing related agreements such as the Armistice Agreement and the September 19 Military Agreement.

Furthermore, both sides agreed to expedite the relocation of the Combined Forces Command headquarters and confirmed progress in preparations for the transfer of wartime operational control.

A Ministry of National Defense official explained, "Both sides agreed that the combined command post exercise in August 2020 was a stage that concretized the conditions necessary to verify full operational capability," adding, "Both sides agreed on the urgent need to secure the Republic of Korea military's core military capabilities and decided to continue joint evaluations through the Special Permanent Military Committee and other channels." The delegations agreed to discuss progress reports on meeting the conditions for the conditional transfer of wartime operational control and future plans at this year's SCM.

Regarding the recently completed "Korea-US Extended Deterrence Joint Study," they also discussed various measures to enhance the alliance's effective deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Both sides agreed to closely cooperate to improve the effectiveness of tailored deterrence strategies going forward.

Both sides evaluated that this KIDD meeting reaffirmed the strong cohesion of the Korea-US alliance and further strengthened the cooperative system between the two countries, agreeing to continue related discussions at the SCM scheduled for October this year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.