MILITARY TALKS

[Anchor Lead]

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan visited Korea for the first time since taking office, and held talks with his South Korean counterpart. The two defense chiefs agreed to have the Combined Forces Command headquartered in Pyeongtaek, and that a four-star South Korean general would be appointed to lead the command.

[Pkg]

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. met again in Seoul after attending the regional Asia Security Summit in Singapore. They first agreed to relocate the Combined Forces Command or CFC headquarters from Yongsan Garrison in Seoul to the U.S.' Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, about an hour outside the capital. The allies had initially planned to keep the headquarters in Seoul at the defense ministry compound but the plan was changed. The two ministers also agreed that a four-star South Korean general who does not double as the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman would be appointed to lead the future combined command after the transfer of wartime operational control takes place. Initially, the South Korean chiefs of the JCS or the Ground Operations Command were considered as candidates who would also take on the role of leading the future combined command. But the two sides agreed that it would be better to have someone separate leading the joint command. The allies also decided to conduct a joint military exercise in the second half of the year, as a replacement for the Ulchi Freedom Guardian drill, and test operational capabilities with the new Korean commander at the helm. The defense chiefs also reaffirmed to support diplomatic efforts to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

[Soundbite] JEONG KYEONG-DOO(MINISTER OF NAT'L DEFENSE) : "Seoul will continue to implement the Sep. 2018 inter-Korean defense accord and strive to carry out agreements planned this year."

[Soundbite] PATRICK SHANAHAN(ACTING U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY)

Shanahan also paid a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in and affirmed the principle that sanctions on North Korea must remain in place until there is meaningful progress in achieving the denuclearization goal.