Defense officials of S. Korea, China hold working-level talks over bilateral cooperation

Defense officials of South Korea and China held working-level talks over ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and exchanges in Beijing on Wednesday, Seoul's defense ministry said.

During the 17th round of bilateral policy consultations, Lee Won-ik, director general of international policy at the Ministry of National Defense, and his Chinese counterpart Song Yan Chao discussed exchanges of high-level officials to strengthen "strategic communication" and other issues, the ministry said.

 

"The two countries agreed to make active efforts to fully restore their defense exchanges and cooperation," a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

Bilateral exchanges have been undercut in recent years by a diplomatic row between Seoul and Beijing over the installation of a US anti-missile system in Korea.

Also at the talks, the two sides shared the understanding that international support and cooperation is needed in the process of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and establishing a lasting peace regime. (Yonhap)