South Korean Foreign Minister, USFK Chief Hold Talks, Pledge Commitment To Alliance

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and the chief of the United States Forces Korea (USFK), Commander Gen. Robert Abrams, on Friday held talks and confirmed their commitment to maintaining strong bilateral ties and further cooperation toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2019) South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and the chief of the United States Forces Korea (USFK), Commander Gen. Robert Abrams, on Friday held talks and confirmed their commitment to maintaining strong bilateral ties and further cooperation toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The talks were held at the Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys military complex in Pyeongtaek a city some 44 miles south of Seoul that is envisioned to become the hub of US forces stationed in South Korea.

"Our commitment to the RoK-US alliance is unbreakable. We support all efforts to restore peace and security on the peninsula, including the full, verified denuclearization of North Korea ... Together with our Korean allies, we stand postured and ready to deter aggression, defend the Republic of Korea, and if necessary, to defeat any adversary who would oppose us," Abrams said, as quoted in a statement by the USFK.

Kang, in turn, expressed appreciation for the USFK's commitment to the alliance and military support for diplomatic efforts toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, as cited by the Yonhap news agency.

According to the agency, the sides agreed to cooperate further toward strengthening and developing the bilateral alliance.

The relationship between the United States and South Korean has recently experienced a chill over Seoul's decision to terminate a military pact on intelligence sharing with Japan. Washington has expressed disappointment on the matter. The maintenance costs of the US military personnel stationed in South Korea has become another point of controversy between the two.

The 28,500-strong USFK contingent has been present in South Korea since 1991. Scattered across the country, the military has been occupying some of the most valuable real estate in prime locations, including in Seoul. Out of 80 bases, 54 have already been relocated to Camp Humphreys and 26 are pending. Under the bilateral Special Measures Agreement (SMA), renewable every five years, the two countries share the costs of stationing the troops, but they have drastically disagreed on how much each side should contribute.