Seo Hoon Headed to China... US Secretary of Defense 'Visits Korea'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Inho Yoo and Jieun Lee] Seo Hoon, Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House, will visit China on the 2nd to hold talks with Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in charge of foreign affairs. As attention is focused on whether progress will be made on the declaration of the end of the war, which the Moon Jae-in administration had pursued, Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense, will visit South Korea to discuss North Korea-related issues.

The Blue House announced on the 1st that Director Seo will visit Tianjin, China, on the 2nd for talks with Member Yang. Seo’s visit to China is a reciprocal visit following Yang’s visit to South Korea in August 2020. The Blue House explained, "They plan to broadly exchange views on mutual interests such as Korea-China relations, the Korean Peninsula issue, and regional and international situations."

Director Seo is expected to discuss the declaration of the end of the war in connection with the Beijing Winter Olympics scheduled for February next year. However, the Western world, including the U.S., is considering a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics due to human rights issues, and China has announced its intention to promote a ‘simplified Olympics’ in response, which poses an obstacle.

Prior to Director Seo’s visit to China, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will visit South Korea this afternoon to attend the 53rd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) between South Korea and the U.S. On the 2nd, he is scheduled to hold talks with South Korean Defense Minister Seo Wook and hold a joint press conference. At the SCM, the South Korean and U.S. military authorities will discuss various security issues on the agenda, including cooperation on North Korea policy for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of permanent peace, the promotion of the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) based on conditions, and ways to enhance defense cooperation for the comprehensive and mutually beneficial development of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, cooperation in responding to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats is expected to be the primary topic of discussion. The importance of trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan is also expected to be mentioned. Regarding the issue of OPCON transfer, a pledge of the Moon Jae-in administration, a favorable atmosphere is forming, unlike during the Trump administration, and it is anticipated that significant progress may be achieved.

Additionally, there is a forecast that the U.S. side will mention the role of the South Korea-U.S. alliance concerning China-related issues at this SCM. John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, stated in a briefing, "Discussions are expected regarding China and the challenges China continues to pose."

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