S Korea, U.S. military officials kick off annual security talks

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Senior military officials from South Korea and the United States on Wednesday kicked off their annual security talks, which are expected to focus on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) issues and the alliance between the two nations, local media reported.

The Military Committee Meeting (MCM), which brought South Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lee Sang-eui and his U.S. counterpart, Adm. Michael Mullen together, came as a prelude to the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) due on Thursday in Seoul between the two nations' defense ministers.

A senior South Korean defense official told local media on condition of anonymity that the two sides will share the latest assessment of the DPRK's military activities and discuss practical measures to strengthen their alliance to deal with the DPRK's threat.

However, local media expected that the U.S. side will likely urge Seoul to support its operations in war-torn Afghanistan during the meeting.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said while en route to Japan that he was "prepared to discuss a broad range of needs in Afghanistan" when he meets his South Korean counterpart, Kim Tae-young.

A Pentagon official also said recently that South Korea has an "obligation" to play a bigger role in the U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell said Sunday while accompanying Defense Secretary Robert Gates on trips to South Korea, Japan and Slovakia, that financial aid is what Afghanistan needs most currently and South Korea and Japan have the means to help develop the country.