US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter plans to visit South Korea next week for talks with his counterpart on key pending security issues, a Seoul source said Tuesday, with attention drawn to the possible deployment of an advanced U.S. missile-defense system here.
"Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter is to arrive here on April 9 for a two-day stay, during which he plans to hold talks with South Korea's defense minister, Han Min-koo, and meet with President Park Geun-hye," a Seoul source said, requesting anonymity. "A variety of issues of mutual concern is expected to be discussed, including how to deal with North Korea and ways to further boost the alliance." Sources in Washington said Carter is also expected to visit Japan in what will be his first trip to Northeast Asia since taking office last month. He visited U.S. troops in Afghanistan days after his inauguration.The top U.S. defense official's planned visit comes amid speculation that Seoul and Washington could discuss the possible deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on South Korean soil.
The U.S. has expressed its willingness to deploy one here to better defend South Korea from the North's security threats and to guarantee the safety of around 28,000 U.S. troops stationed here and their families. Other countries in the region, including China, are against the move, according to South Korea's (Yonhap) News Agency.
During his confirmation hearing in February, Carter pledged to significantly beef up missile defense, including deploying more ground-based missile interceptors in California and Alaska, saying North Korean missiles could pose a "direct threat" to the country.