S Korea, US to hold high-level security talks

South Korea and the United States are scheduled to hold high-level security talks next week over coordination of policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and a revised bilateral missile pact, the Defense Ministry here said Tuesday. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and his US counterpart Leon Panetta will sit down with each other next Wednesday in Washington for the 44th round of the annual Security Consultative Meeting. The two sides will discuss a range of issues including strengthening deterrence against the DPRK's nuclear and enhancing the allies' defense posture following the revision of their missile agreement that allows South Korea to develop longer-range ballistic missiles. On the eve of the talks, head of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Jung Seung-jo, and his US counterpart Martin Dempsey will hold a separate meeting centering around bilateral defense cooperation.