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Pentagon chief appeases S. Korea with reassurance of defense commitment

Source: Xinhua 2017-02-02 19:04:47

SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea here on Thursday, including its extended deterrence.

The Pentagon chief said the Trump administration will deal with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear threats as top priority among security issues.

Mattis, who arrived here earlier in the day, met with Kim Kwan-jin, senior security advisor to impeached President Park Geun-hye, in the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

During the talks, Kim said it was very timely for Mattis to pick South Korea as his first overseas trip destination given the stern security situations, caused by the DPRK's nuclear and missile threats.

Concerns were deepened recently about the DPRK's test-launch of a long-range ballistic rocket as top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year's Day address that his country had entered a final stage to prepare for such launch.

Mattis and Kim agreed to push for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment in South Korea.

Seoul and Washington abruptly announced the agreement in July last year to install one THAAD battery in South Korean soil by the end of this year. Local media speculated the installation could be completed between May and July.

It sparked strong objections from China and Russia as its X-band radar can peer into territories of the two nations, destabilizing security balance and boosting arms race in the region.

Major presidential contenders in the South Korean opposition bloc have demanded the cancellation or the delay of the decision to the next government, which is forecast to be launched as early as April.

President Park was impeached in December over a corruption scandal, and the constitutional court is expected to permanently remove Park from office before the middle of March. A presidential election must be held in 60 days after the court's final ruling.

The Pentagon chief and the senior South Korean security official shared views on the need to strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance, promising to closely communicate with each other to respond to the DPRK's rising threats.

Meanwhile, Mattis paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting South Korean president, according to local media reports.

During the meeting, the U.S. defense minister said the two allies should go shoulder-to-shoulder in tackling the DPRK threats, promising to further strengthen their bilateral relations under situations that South Korea is facing the DPRK provocations.

U.S. President Donald Trump, Mattis said, made it clear for him to place a priority on the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

Hwang told Mattis that it was meaningful for Mattis to select South Korea as his first foreign trip destination, given the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and its future development.

The prime minister recently emerged as one of powerful presidential hopefuls in the conservative bloc as former UN chief Ban Ki-moon abruptly pulled out of the presidential race on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by senior presidential secretary for security and foreign affairs, defense minister and the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on the South Korean side as well as the USFK commander and the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

Mattis will hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo on Friday morning in the South Korean defense ministry's headquarters in Seoul, before traveling to Japan for another two-day trip.

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Pentagon chief appeases S. Korea with reassurance of defense commitment
                 Source: Xinhua | 2017-02-02 19:04:47 | Editor: huaxia

SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea here on Thursday, including its extended deterrence.

The Pentagon chief said the Trump administration will deal with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear threats as top priority among security issues.

Mattis, who arrived here earlier in the day, met with Kim Kwan-jin, senior security advisor to impeached President Park Geun-hye, in the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

During the talks, Kim said it was very timely for Mattis to pick South Korea as his first overseas trip destination given the stern security situations, caused by the DPRK's nuclear and missile threats.

Concerns were deepened recently about the DPRK's test-launch of a long-range ballistic rocket as top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year's Day address that his country had entered a final stage to prepare for such launch.

Mattis and Kim agreed to push for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment in South Korea.

Seoul and Washington abruptly announced the agreement in July last year to install one THAAD battery in South Korean soil by the end of this year. Local media speculated the installation could be completed between May and July.

It sparked strong objections from China and Russia as its X-band radar can peer into territories of the two nations, destabilizing security balance and boosting arms race in the region.

Major presidential contenders in the South Korean opposition bloc have demanded the cancellation or the delay of the decision to the next government, which is forecast to be launched as early as April.

President Park was impeached in December over a corruption scandal, and the constitutional court is expected to permanently remove Park from office before the middle of March. A presidential election must be held in 60 days after the court's final ruling.

The Pentagon chief and the senior South Korean security official shared views on the need to strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance, promising to closely communicate with each other to respond to the DPRK's rising threats.

Meanwhile, Mattis paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting South Korean president, according to local media reports.

During the meeting, the U.S. defense minister said the two allies should go shoulder-to-shoulder in tackling the DPRK threats, promising to further strengthen their bilateral relations under situations that South Korea is facing the DPRK provocations.

U.S. President Donald Trump, Mattis said, made it clear for him to place a priority on the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

Hwang told Mattis that it was meaningful for Mattis to select South Korea as his first foreign trip destination, given the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and its future development.

The prime minister recently emerged as one of powerful presidential hopefuls in the conservative bloc as former UN chief Ban Ki-moon abruptly pulled out of the presidential race on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by senior presidential secretary for security and foreign affairs, defense minister and the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on the South Korean side as well as the USFK commander and the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

Mattis will hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo on Friday morning in the South Korean defense ministry's headquarters in Seoul, before traveling to Japan for another two-day trip.

Related:

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SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in South Korea on Thursday afternoon on his first overseas trip since he took office about two weeks earlier.

Mattis first went to the headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in central Seoul, where he was briefed by USFK commander Vincent Brooks on security situations on the Korean Peninsula, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s possible launch of a long-range ballistic rocket, according to local media reports.Full story

U.S. president-elect picks retired general James Mattis for secretary of defense

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) --- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has chosen retired Marine General James Mattis for secretary of defense.

"We are going to appoint 'Mad Dog' Mattis as our secretary of defense. But we're not announcing it until Monday so don't tell anybody," Trump said at a rally in Cincinnati, kicking off his post-election "Thank You" tour.Full story

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Thursday nominated retired Marine Corps General James Mattis as his secretary of defense.

Born on Sept. 8, 1950 in Pullman Washington, Mattis was enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969, and was commissioned a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps in 1972.Full story

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