South Korea and the United States will hold a meeting of the South Korea-US Joint Defense Consultative Mechanism in Busan to discuss the issue of sending troops to the Strait of Hormuz.

South Korean media reported that the outside world is paying attention to whether South Korea will send troops to the Strait of Hormuz. The picture shows the South Korean missile frigate Chungbuk. (European News Agency file photo)

[Real-time News/Comprehensive Report] The 29th meeting of the South Korea-US Joint Defense Consultative Mechanism (KIDD), a high-level dialogue mechanism between the defense departments of South Korea and the United States, will be held in Busan for three days starting from the 16th. The outside world is paying attention to whether South Korea will send troops to the Strait of Hormuz, which may become the focus of discussion at this meeting.

Yonhap News Agency reported that Kim Hong-chul (transliteration), director of the Defense Policy Office of the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, and George Lemmer, deputy assistant secretary of East Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of War, will attend the meeting on behalf of both parties respectively. Major defense and diplomatic officials from the two countries will also attend the meeting.

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South Korea's Ministry of National Defense stated that South Korea and the United States will conduct extensive discussions at the meeting on alliance security-related issues such as South Korea's recovery of wartime operational command authority from the United States, joint defense posture, and shipbuilding cooperation.

Reports indicate that whether South Korea will send troops to the Strait of Hormuz is also likely to be an issue at this meeting. Since the outbreak of the US-Iraq war at the beginning of this year, the United States has continued to require South Korea and other allies to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz.

The South Korean government sent an on-site inspection team to the United Arab Emirates last week to assess operational conditions such as military strongholds, ship docking, maintenance and supplies in the Middle East. It is reported that the United States hopes that South Korea can send troops before the United States holds midterm elections in November.

South Korea is still cautious about sending troops, but on the other hand, it is working on a "military weapons list" to prepare for the immediate deployment of relevant weapons once it decides to send troops.

It is reported that this list includes maritime patrol aircraft, explosive ordnance disposal teams (EOD), as well as unmanned mine clearance and demining equipment.

The South Korea-US joint defense consultation mechanism was launched in 2011 to ensure that South Korea and the United States can conduct timely and effective consultations on security issues. It usually holds 1 to 2 meetings in Seoul and Washington in turn every year.

However, this meeting broke with convention and was held in Busan, attracting attention from the outside world. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense stated that this move aims to demonstrate the will of South Korea and the United States to strengthen shipbuilding cooperation and South Korea's top shipbuilding capabilities. During their visit to South Korea, the US participants will also visit a shipyard near Busan.