Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. meet on N. Korea threats, THAAD deployment

한미 국방장관 회담
We start this morning at Seoul's defense ministry,... where U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis is currently locked in talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo.
For more details we connect live to our Kim Hyun-bin who is standing by at the ministry for us.
Hyun-bin,... both sides have plenty of issues to discuss...

Good morning.
U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis arrived here less than an hour ago and was welcomed by South Korea's honor guard as well as a 21 cannon salute just outside this building.
Mattis and South Korea's defense minister Han Min-koo are holding talks as we speak just a floor above me.
As you mentioned,... they have lots of talk about as this is their first face-to-face meeting since Mattis was sworn in by President Trump around a week ago.
South Korean military officials tell me they'll mostly focus on North Korea and ways to better counter threats posed by the regime.
Mattis said on Wednesday that no country other than North Korea needs to worry about the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system to South Korea.
He said THAAD is for the defense of U.S. allies and their people... and for American troops who are committed to their defense.
Those remarks were likely directed toward China,.. which continues to strongly oppose the deployment,.. saying it will encroach upon its national interests and destabilize the region.
THAAD is expected to be deployed on South Korean soil by the middle of this year at the earliest.
The two defense chiefs are also expected to discuss North Korea's threat last month to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Experts have speculated North Korea could launch an ICBM on February 16th to mark the birthday of its late former leader Kim Jong-il.
After the talks wrap up,... Minister Han and Mattis will visit the Seoul National Cemetery to pay their respects to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Korean War.
Later today, Mattis will fly to Tokyo for talks with his Japanese counterpart.
The North Korea threat is likely top of the agenda there as well.
I'll be back at noon with the latest.
Back to you.

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[jeffstrong]

S Korean government should always remember what Henry Kissinger said. "America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests" good example what happened after US station THAAD in S Korea. THAAD is designed for long range interception not short range from N Korea. Also during Vietnam war, Henry Kissinger said "It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal" good example is why Israel rely on themselves for defense even with strong support from Washington and telling people that Washington is working for it's own interest because it's set up that way. Thus S Korea must build its own tactical nuclear weapons and nuclear submarines for its own defense.