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The defense ministers' meeting will be held in Seoul today (9th). The delicate challenges of defense costs, troop dispatch, and the Korea-Japan Military Security Agreement are likely to be more talks than ever before.

Kim Tae-hoon is a defense journalist.

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US Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived at Osan Air Force Base about 7 pm yesterday.

Mr. Esper today meets with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa.

Immediately, we will move to the Yongsan Defense Agency building to meet with Secretary of Defense Chung Kyung-du, from 11 am to 1 pm.

[CEO Hyun-Soo Choi / DOD Spokesman (Yesterday): The two sides will share the assessment of the security situation on the Korean peninsula and discuss key issues of the US-ROK alliance, including policy coordination for denuclearization and permanent peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula, and transfer of rights based on conditions.]

The Pentagon did not specifically explain the issues that the two ministers will discuss, but the most notable are the increase in defense contributions, the dispatch of the Hormud Strait, the ROK-Japan military information security agreement, and the deployment of medium-range missiles.

Defense contributions, in particular, are likely to be delivered in some way, as President Trump mentioned a dramatic hike yesterday.

The US position is also likely to come out about the destruction of the Korea-Japan military information security agreement.

In the afternoon, Mr. Esper will meet with Chung Dae-yong, president of the National Security Office, and prevent President Moon Jae-in.