South Korea, US Discuss North Korea and Global Disarmament Cooperation

Jeong Yeon-doo, South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister for Diplomatic Strategy and Intelligence, met with Christopher Yeaw, US Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control and Non-Proliferation at the State Department, in New York on Tuesday (US time) on the sidelines of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference, according to the ministry.

"They exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and key issues related to disarmament and non-proliferation. Both sides shared the view on the importance of bilateral coordination as the disarmament and nonproliferation regime faces complex challenges, and agreed to work closely together throughout the discussions at the NPT review conference," the ministry said in a release, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Jeong held separate talks with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Olexandr Mischenko, and exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional developments.

Jeong explained that the South Korean government has been continuing its support for Ukraine, including efforts to address the humanitarian crisis and assist reconstruction.

Mischenko expressed appreciation and voiced hope the two countries will continue cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels.

The two sides agreed to continue working together to resolve the issue of North Korean prisoners of war in Ukraine in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles, according to the ministry.

Jeong also held bilateral meetings with senior officials from the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, as well as Australia, Vietnam, the Netherlands and Sweden, during which he discussed ways to enhance cooperation and pending issues, the ministry said.

Earlier in March, the South Korean and US militaries staged joint river-crossing drills in the border county of Yeoncheon on Saturday as part of their annual key springtime exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability between the allies.

The field training coincided with North Korea firing around 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea. The North's missile launch came in an apparent muscle-flexing against the Seoul-Washington joint military exercise.

The training took place on the Imjin River in Yeoncheon, located about 50 kilometers north of Seoul, involving some 200 pieces of equipment, including KM3 amphibious bridging vehicles and ribbon bridge systems, according to the armed services.

The drills are part of the on-field training events of the Freedom Shield (FS) exercise, aimed at strengthening the allies' combined defense posture.

Some 700 troops from the South's Capital Mechanized Infantry Division and 7th Engineer Brigade, and the US Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division participated in the drills.

This year, the Korean-made KM3 amphibious bridge and ferry system was connected with the United States' Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) for the first time in a wet-gap crossing.

The KM3, which acts as a floating bridge or ferry to carry heavy combat vehicles and trucks, enables swift troop maneuvers over streams and rivers at a faster rate than existing ribbon floating bridge equipment. It was deployed to the South Korean Army in 2024.

- IANS