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| National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, right, meets with his U.S. counterpart John Bolton at Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday. Yonhap |
By Do Je-hae
The national security chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. discussed the latest intrusion into Korean airspace by Russian and Chinese planes over the East Sea and agreed to cooperate closely on such emergencies, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday.
In a statement, the presidential office said Chung Eui-yong, chief of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), explained Seoul's response to the violation of the Korea Air Defense Identification (KADIZ) and the country's airspace in a meeting with his counterpart U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton.
"The NSO chief mentioned our stern response to the violation of the KADIZ, and Bolton said the two countries should closely cooperate in the future on similar cases," presidential spokeswoman Ko Min-jung said.
Chung and Bolton also exchanged views on key bilateral issues in the areas of defense and security. They held their meeting in the morningat Cheong Wa Dae and later also met for lunch, according to the presidential office. Bolton was accompanied by other key officials in charge of Korea affairs.
"Regarding the sharing of military costs after 2020, the two countries will negotiate the most rational and equitable direction based on the spirit of alliance," the statement said.
On the possible dispatch of Korean forces to the Strait of Hormuz, the two countries recognized the need for international efforts to ensure safe navigation for commercial vessels in the region, and agreed to continue discussing cooperation in maritime security.
"The two sides held in-depth discussions on the intrusion into Korea's airspace by Chinese and Russian warplanes, Korea-Japan relations, U.S-North Korea denuclearization talks, military cost-sharing and maritime safety in the Strait of Hormuz," Cheong Wa Dae vice spokesman Han Jeong-woo told reporters in a text message.
Bolton arrived in Korea only a few hours after the aerial violation by China and Russia amid rising tension in the region from the Korea-Japan dispute over trade and their shared colonial history. The regional tension was intensified after Seoul showed its intention last week to reconsider a military information-sharing pact with Japan, the General Security of Military Information (GSOMIA), if Tokyo expands its export restrictions.
The security adviser's visit has drawn keen interest as it was seen as a sign of more active U.S. engagement in the Korea-Japan dispute owing to concerns that the tension between its two regional allies could jeopardize the trilateral cooperation that has been the backbone of maintaining security in Northeast Asia, particularly amid increased military cooperation between China and Russia.
During his Seoul visit, Bolton also met with other top Korean officials, including Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.
"I think the main objective we have and the main objective that you have is to emerge with a stronger ROK-U.S. alliance that really has kept the peace in this part of the world for a long time, and we hope that we continue to do that," Bolton said ahead of his meeting with the foreign minister.
The defense ministry said in a statement after Bolton's meeting with Jeong that the two countries recognized the need to continue Korea-Japan security cooperation and agreed to work more closely in this regard.
