Senior U.S. security official to visit S. Korea

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. diplomat will visit South Korea later this week for talks on security issues, such as the U.S. commitment to defend the Asian ally, missile defense and arms control, the State Department announced Tuesday.

Frank Rose, assistant secretary for arms control, verification and compliance, will be in Seoul on Thursday and Friday for talks with his counterparts "on topics of mutual interest including extended deterrence, missile defense, arms control, and outer space security," the department said in a release.

"Extended deterrence" refers to a security commitment made by a superpower to protect an ally. In the Korea-U.S. alliance, it is usually considered the U.S. pledge to use nuclear weapons to defend the South against threats from the nuclear-armed North Korea.

Rose's trip to Seoul is part of a four-nation trip that includes stops in Myanmar, China and Britain.

On Tuesday, Rose was in Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar, also known as Burma, for discussions on a range of arms control subjects including ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention with foreign and defense ministry officials.

On Feb. 2, the American diplomat will be in Beijing to attend at the U.S.-China Security Dialogue, together with Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller, the department said.

Rose will then fly to London for a Feb. 3-6 visit to attend the sixth annual P5 Conference, also jointly with Gottemoeller, the department said.

jschang@yna.co.kr
(END)