US, South Korea defense chiefs discuss boosting alliance
By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The South Korean and U.S. defense chiefs are meeting for their annual talks, as Washington pushes to reinforce alliances with its partners to curb mounting challenges from China and increasing North Korean nuclear threats. Thursday’s meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart Suh Wook comes days after the Pentagon released the results of a global posture review that directs additional cooperation with allies and partners to deter “potential Chinese military aggression and threats from North Korea.” After their talks, Austin and Suh were expected to announce a boosting of their decades-long military alliance, observers say.
