New US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, who has been to Asia for the first time since taking office in July, arrives in Seoul late eighth afternoon.

According to the Defense Ministry, Mr. Esper will meet with Defense Minister Chung Kyung-du at the South Korean Defense Ministry in Seoul on the second day of the visit.

Defense spokesman Choi Hyun-soo said in a regular briefing, "In the talks, the two sides will discuss key issues in the ROK-US alliance, including sharing the assessment of security situation on the Korean peninsula, coordinating policy to denuclearize the Korean peninsula and establishing a lasting peace regime, and the transition of wartime operational rights." Said.

Mr. Esper's visit to Korea is a time when the US and South Korea began a joint exercise in the second half of the year, focusing on the transfer of the war, and North Korea has been following a series of armed protests.

As a result, the two ministers reaffirmed the principle of "transfer-based transfer of operational rights" in the talks, while evaluating and responding to the North Korean Iskander KN-23 new short-range ballistic missile, which is observed to have an imminent deployment. I think we will discuss the plan.

The most notable issues related to the visit of Secretary Esper are the current issues related to the increase in defense contributions, the dispatch of the Hormuz Strait, the ROK-Japan military information security agreement (GSOMIA and Gismia), and the deployment of medium-range missiles.

The issue of defense contributions is at a time when the United States is about to negotiate a full-scale defense contribution, so many observers are likely to comment in any way.

President Donald Trump has called South Korea a "very wealthy nation" and said it has begun negotiations to raise defense contributions.

The issue is likely to be on the agenda at the ministerial talks, as Secretary of State Mike Pompey recently publicly mentioned her participation in the Hormuz escort coalition.

Attention is focused on what Mr. Esper will say about the biggest crisis facing the US-Korea conflict.

The Japanese media said earlier that the two ministers shared the importance of continuing the ROK-Japan cooperation, including Jisomi, in connection with the results of the meeting between Minister Esper and the Iwaya Defense Minister in Tokyo.

The Pentagon asked if there is a possibility for defense or Jisomia to be discussed at the talks. "The agenda will have a chance to talk later."

However, the Ministry of Defense has reaffirmed that the deployment of medium-range missiles is not a matter of agenda, even when the United States is pushing for an Asian deployment of a ground-launched medium-range missile.

Earlier today, the Pentagon said it has not officially discussed or discussed itself with the US on the introduction of medium-range missiles.

Esper, who strained Asian nations such as Japan, Australia, and South Korea by speaking with a "mid-range missile deployment" on his visit to Australia, explained in a recent media interview that "I have never asked anyone about deploying missiles in Asia." .

(Photo = Getty Images Korea)