U.S. seeks regular deployment of strategic military assets in Korea

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- The United States plans to deploy its "strategic" weapons in South Korea on a regular basis in order to thwart North Korea's threats under an agreement between the allies, Seoul's defense ministry said Friday.

The two sides agreed to push for "measures available in all aspects including the regular deployment of U.S. strategic assets," according to the Ministry of National Defense.

It was briefing the media on the results of the two-day Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) meeting held in Washington D.C.

Around 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea. U.S. strategic assets refer to high-profile weapons usually from its bases in Guam, Japan or the mainland, such as B-2, B-1B and B-52 bombers as well as F-35 fighter jets and aircraft carriers.

South Korea's delegation was headed by Wee Seung-ho, deputy minister for policy, and his American counterpart was David F. Helvey, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs.

Launched in 2011, the biannual KIDD is a comprehensive defense meeting between the allies.

lcd@yna.co.kr
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