Defense officials from Seoul and Beijing meet for first working-level talks in four years

By Jun Sung-min Posted : February 5, 2026, 17:55 Updated : February 5, 2026, 17:59
Defense officials from South Korea and China attend a meeting n Beijing on Feb. 5, 2026. Courtesy of the Ministry of Defense
SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Defense officials from South Korea and China held working-level talks in Beijing on Thursday, their first such meeting in about four years.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the South Korean delegation led by Lee Gwang-seok, in charge of the ministry's international policy met with his Chinese counterpart Guo Hongtao.

First launched in 1995, the meeting was held for the first time since the last one, which was via Zoom in June 2022.

The two sides agreed to hold close consultations to revive strategic dialogue channels and expand bilateral cooperation. They also discussed ways to resume joint search-and-rescue drills in the West Sea. 

The ministry said it expects the meeting to "lay the groundwork for building trust" between the two countries.
Jun Sung-min

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