South Korea and the U.S. Move Quickly on Follow-up Security Talks as Wi Sung-lac Meets U.S. Under Secretary of State

[Financial News] Wi Sung-lac, Director of the Office of National Security, met on the 2nd with Allison Hooker, Under Secretary for Political Affairs at the United States Department of State (State Department), who is visiting South Korea, to discuss follow-up security talks between Seoul and Washington and responses to the international situation.
According to Cheong Wa Dae, Wi welcomed the launch of follow-up talks on the security portion of the joint ROK-U.S. statement during his meeting with Hooker that day.
The two sides said they expect the discussions to gain further momentum through the follow-up talks, which will run for two days from the 2nd to the 3rd.
The talks may cover security issues as follow-up measures to the summit agreements between the two countries, including the construction of nuclear-powered submarines and expanded authority to enrich nuclear fuel and reprocess spent fuel. Attention is also on whether the issue of transferring Wartime Operational Control (OPCON), which has recently been under discussion between the two countries, will be placed on the agenda.
Hooker arrived in South Korea leading a U.S. interagency delegation. The U.S. delegation reportedly includes officials from the White House National Security Council, the State Department, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense.
South Korea also launched the follow-up security talks with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Office of National Security (ONS), the Ministry of National Defense (MND), the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC).
Wi and Hooker also reaffirmed that the ROK-U.S. Alliance is the key pillar for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific.
They also agreed to maintain close communication and cooperation on major international issues, including developments on the Korean Peninsula and the situation in the Middle East.
west@fnnews.com Sung Seok-woo Reporter