New U.S. Navy chief visits S. Korea

Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, the new U.S. chief of naval operations, is in Seoul this week for talks with local military officials, a military source here said Wednesday.

"Adm. Greenert paid a courtesy call to Defense Minister Kim Kwang-jin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Han Min-koo today," the source said. "He met with other military officials and they discussed matters of common interest."

Greenert took the helm of the U.S. Navy on Sept. 23 this year.

He had been the vice chief of naval operations for the previous two years. Greenert also served as the deputy commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and the chief of staff of the U.S. 7th Fleet.

The source said Greenert will stay in South Korea until Thursday to visit U.S. military bases here. He added it's "a common practice" for a new chief of U.S. military operations to visit its allies.

Greenert was in Japan on Monday and Tuesday this week, visiting the defense ministry there and meeting with top officials of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. He is scheduled to travel to Bahrain before returning to the U.S., the source said. (Yonhap News)