Seo Defense Minister Attends SCM with Aerial Refueling Aircraft
Minister of National Defense Seo Wook is attending the full meeting of the National Assembly's Judiciary Committee on the 21st, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
View original image[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Defense Minister Seo Wook will visit the United States on the 14th (local time) using the Air Force aerial refueling aircraft (KC-330).
According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 8th, Minister Seo will meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper at the 52nd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and discuss major alliance issues including ▲ assessment of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and policy coordination ▲ promotion of wartime operational control transfer based on conditions ▲ strengthening of combined defense posture.
Considering that this SCM is held immediately after North Korea's Workers' Party founding day (October 10), when a military parade is expected, it is anticipated that there will be focused discussions on sharing assessments of North Korean developments and corresponding ROK-U.S. cooperation measures.
Senior officials from the defense and foreign affairs sectors will also attend the meeting. The SCM, an annual meeting between the ROK and U.S. defense ministers, was held in Seoul last year, and according to tradition, this year it is held in the United States. Minister Seo will visit the U.S. for the first time since his appointment on the occasion of this meeting.
Despite the COVID-19 situation, the decision to hold the SCM as an in-person meeting as scheduled is interpreted as reflecting the importance of ROK-U.S. defense diplomacy amid the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. However, considering the COVID-19 situation, Minister Seo is known to travel directly from Seoul Airport to Andrews Air Force Base using the Air Force aerial refueling aircraft (KC-330) instead of a commercial flight.
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Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense stated that Minister Seo plans to visit and lay a wreath at the Korean War Veterans Memorial Park during this visit to the U.S.
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