S. Korea, U.S. to hold high-level talks on N. Korea, alliance issues

South Korea is preparing to hold high-level talks with the United States this month on major issues of mutual concern, including North Korea and tensions among regional powers, a diplomatic source said Sunday.

Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun plans to visit Washington in mid-December for the strategic dialogue with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, said the source.

It would be their first one-on-one meeting since Kim's visit here in June.

To be mainly discussed are ways to restart the six-way talks with North Korea, South Korea's concern over Japan's flexing of its military muscles and Seoul's push for delaying the transfer of operational control of its troops, the source said.

The talks between the allies come amid escalated tensions in Northeast Asia following China's establishment of a maritime air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea.

South Korea also declared plans to re-draw its own ADIZ in response to Beijing's action.

"Since South Korea's new ADIZ is scheduled to take effect on Dec. 15, the two sides are expected to just evaluate related situations, focusing on discussing pending alliance issues, regional and global issues," the source said. (Yonhap News)