S. Korea, US agree to boost space defense cooperation

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Seong-yong and US chief of space operations Gen. John Raymond have held their first bilateral talks and agreed to boost cooperation to better respond to emerging space threats, the military said Sunday.

During the meeting held in Hawaii on Thursday, Lee proposed setting up a regular consultation channel between the Air Force and the US Space Force for personnel exchanges, technology cooperation and information sharing, according to the Air Force.

"Lee asked the US to expand the number of South Korean airmen taking part in the US space operations education and training to improve their combined space operational capabilities and to better jointly respond to space threats," it said in a release.

Raymond expressed understanding on the need for a regular communications channel and pledged to strengthen the two countries' partnership in the space field, the military said.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of sharing information and discussed ways to improve the linkage of the two allies' space surveillance systems.

Thursdays' meeting marked Lee's first bilateral talks with Raymond, the first chief of the US Space Force, since its establishment in December last year.

The South Korean general visited the US Pacific Air Forces Command in Hawaii for a five-day trip that ended Sunday at the request of Raymond to take part in the Chief of Space Operations and Air Chiefs Visit event hosted by the US military.

During his stay, Lee also met with US Pacific Air Forces Command chief Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach and discussed pending alliance issues. (Yonhap)