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Military exchanges between Korea and China will intensify to a level similar to those between Korea and Japan, the defense ministry said Monday.
"China, more than any nation, wishes for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, so we plan to strengthen our military exchanges with China, including making defense minister meetings a regular occurrence," Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung told reporters. "There is a need to raise the level of military cooperation between Korea and China to at least that shared between Korea and Japan, and it's worth thinking about plans to help stability on the Korean Peninsula with China's assistance."
Yoon's comments appear to confirm whispers of greater Sino-Korean cooperation following President Roh Moo-hyun's comments that Korea will act as a stabilizer between opposing forces in Northeast Asia.
Korea and China agreed during a meeting of their defense ministers in Beijing on March 30 to make such meetings regular and hold discussions involving bureau and section chiefs twice annually.
Yoon also said there would be no additional negotiations after the USFK announced it will lay off 1,000 Korean civilian staff since Korea is cutting its share of the cost of keeping U.S. soldiers in the country. "The cost-sharing negotiations are already finished, and there will be no renegotiations," Yoon said. He added, "In the past, pending issues between the U.S. and Korea were resolved quietly, but in the future, we shall express our satisfaction or dissatisfaction during the negotiation process" -- a broad hint that Korea will stick to its position on cost sharing despite U.S. complaints.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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