Seoul, Beijing Resume Talks on Defense Policy After 2-Year Hiatus - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Seoul and Beijing resumed Monday bilateral defense talks at the working level, during which the two parties discussed the relations between North and South Korea, regional security, and a future dialogue, local media reported.

"We explained about the results of the inter-Korean summit on April 27 and security situations on the Korean Peninsula… Both sides also discussed defense cooperation and exchange plans," the press release of the South Korean Defense Ministry on the talks' outcome was quoted as saying by the news agency.

The South Korean delegation was headed by Yeo Suk-joo, the policy chief at the South Korean National Defense Ministry, while the Chinese delegation was led by Hu Changming, chief of the International Military Cooperation Office of the Chinese Central Military Commission, the Yonhap news agency reported.

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The defense talks between the two countries were put on hold after South Korean authorities deployed the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system on its territory, despite strong opposition from China, in July 2016.

Seoul and Washington agreed on the deployment of the THAAD system against the backdrop of growing tensions over North Korea's military activities. China alongside Russia have strongly opposed the deployment, warning that the THAAD system might undermine the security balance in the region and the credibility of South Korea.