US Defense Secretary visits South Korea and Japan to reassure allies on North Korea issue

After talks in China, US Defense Secretary James Mattis will travel to Seoul and Tokyo to reassure US allies. Photo: AP

With the US President praising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as “a talented man” as he seeks to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons, the Pentagon chief will arrive in South Korea on June 28 afternoon after concluding a two-day visit to China.

Mattis and his South Korean counterpart Song Young-moo are scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. local time at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul. The focus of discussion will be on the future of joint military exercises and ways to cooperate to implement the agreements reached at the recent inter-Korean and US-North Korea summits.

This is the third meeting between the two officials this year. Later that day, Mr. Mattis will meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, but there are reports that the South Korean leader has canceled all official events on June 28-29 due to a cold.

After discussions with top South Korean officials, Mr. Mattis will fly to Tokyo on the evening of June 28 to meet with his Japanese counterparts. Mr. Mattis is expected to meet with his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera on June 29.

Both countries have alliances with the United States, which are guaranteed by a security treaty, but they are now likely to be sidelined as President Trump focuses on fast-track negotiations with the North Korean leader.

In response to President Trump's decision to unilaterally suspend joint military exercises with South Korea, James Schoff, former East Asia policy advisor at the Pentagon and now an expert at the Carnegie Asia Program, said:

“Japan and South Korea are increasingly concerned about the credibility of our security commitments. Therefore, every decision we make is extremely sensitive.”

However, a senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, downplayed the importance of reassuring the two US allies. “Reassurance is part of the visit but not the main purpose,” the official said./.