The United States, which has around 28,500 military personnel stationed in South Korea, agreed a year ago to delay a shift of command of their overall combined forces to South Korea in case of a war until Seoul has better capabilities to counter the kinds of nuclear weapons and missile threats posed by the North.
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In a joint written statement issued after closed-door meetings, they condemned North Korea’s recently expressed intent to conduct a long-range missile launch or nuclear test.
The last two-way summit between the leaders of Japan and South Korea happened in May 2012, when Park’s predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, met with then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
“The minister and the secretary reaffirmed that any North Korean aggression or military provocation is not to be tolerated”, according to a joint statement released after their talks.
Carter told reporters that the two officials “spoke candidly” about nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, cyber, and conventional military threats from North Korea, which they described as a risk to peace and security well beyond the Korean peninsula. “That’s why our alliance with South Korea is iron-clad and strong, and you see that from the strength of our soldiers here and our South Korean counterparts”.
The United States continues to call on North Korea to “avoid provocations, avoid adding to tensions on the peninsula”, Carter said. Other stops include Malaysia.
Carter’s visit to South Korea is part of an eight-day Pacific tour.
In the 62 years since an armistice was signed in the 1950-53 Korean War, numerous incidents and clashes – most instigated by North Korea – have threatened the official ceasefire.
In practical terms, it means ending the current arrangement in which an American four-star officer, now Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, would take operational control of South Korean troops in the event of war with the North, in addition to leading US troops.
The South Koreans argued for extra time, and the two sides agreed it would happen by 2012.
While China previously fought on the side of North Korea, and maintains ties with Pyongyang, the South has been fast improving its own relations with Beijing. The two nations agreed in principle a year ago to this “conditions-based” approach.
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This was Carter’s first visit to the heavily-fortified DMZ as secretary of defence.
