SEOUL– President Moon Jae-in met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday, the presidential office said, after the allies agreed to update their joint wartime contingency plans to deter North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.
Austin was on a three-day visit to South Korea for annual security talks with Defense Minister Suh Wook.
Details of Moon’s meeting with Austin were not immediately available.
Earlier in the day, Suh and Austin discussed a range of issues in the face of North Korea’s threats, with Austin saying the North’s missile and weapons programs are “increasingly destabilizing for regional security.”
At the same time, Austin highlighted the allies’ commitment to a “diplomatic approach” to North Korea.
During the security talks, Suh and Austin agreed on a new guidance that marks a manifestation of the allies’ resolve to harness their combined military capabilities to respond to various wartime scenarios.
Source: Yonhap News Agency