Defense chief to meet with envoys of U.N. Command member states this week

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik will meet with the ambassadors of U.N. Command (UNC) member states later this week to discuss holding a defense ministerial meeting among the countries on a regular basis, his ministry said Wednesday. Last November, South Korea hosted the inaugural defense ministerial meeting with the 17 UNC member states as part of efforts to deepen ties with the countries that sent troops or other forms of support to South Korea under the U.N. flag during the 1950-53 Korean War. The ministry said this week's meeting will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation among the countries, noting that former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UNC Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Derek Macaulay will also attend the session. The U.S.-led multinational command was established in July 1950 under a U.N. mandate to support South Korea against North Korea's aggression and has been overseeing the armistice that halted the Korean War. The current members of the UNC are the United States, Britain, Canada, Turkey , Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, the Netherlands, Colombia, Greece, New Zealand, Belgium, France, South Africa, Norway, Denmark and Italy. Source: Yonhap News Agency