Senior diplomatic and security policymakers of South Korea and the U.S. gathered Wednesday in Seoul to assess the possibility of North Korea’s launch of a long-range rocket and other provocations, and explore ways to better ward them off.

The two-day Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue was led by Seoul’s Deputy Defense Minister Yoo Jeh-seung, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense Abraham Denmark and Elaine Bunn, each in charge of East Asia policy and nuclear and missile defense. Other participants included Shin Chae-hyun, director general for North American affairs at the Foreign Ministry here, and Sung Kim, special representative for North Korea policy at the U.S. State Department.

With Pyongyang’s mounting nuclear and missile threats topping the agenda, the sides also discussed a delayed transfer of wartime operational control, operation of the Deterrence Strategy Committee launched early this year, and development of the “4D proactive defense” concept consisting of detect, defense, disrupt and destroy.

“The meeting is aimed at consolidating our joint readiness. Enhancing the joint deterrence and defense capabilities is paramount at a time when North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats are building up,” Yoo said at the kickoff of the meeting.

“We should complete a condition-based OPCON handover planthrough this meeting and upcoming Security Consultative Meeting, a new strategic document that will make a blueprint conveying not only command relationships during joint operations but also mid- and long-term understanding for the South Korea-U.S. joint defense system.”

In response, Denmark emphasized the significance of the allies’ close coordination in the wake of North Korea’s land mine provocation last month, while extending condolences to the two South Korean soldiers whose legs suffered damages in the blasts.

The provocation also served as a reminder of the volatility of the peninsula, where tension could escalate in a flash, he added, given the then situation that the sides were taken to the brink of an armed clash following the incident.

The talks came amid spiraling speculation that the Kim Jong-un regime may stage a major provocation involving a long-range missile or atomic device in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers’ Party on Oct. 10.

A recent series of threats from the communist country prompted Seoul, Washington, Beijing and key neighbors to step up diplomacy and relay warnings of additional, stronger sanctions and other punitive steps.

On the sidelines of his visit, Sung Kim also met with Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo on Wednesday. He is scheduled for talks Thursday with Hwang Joon-kook, special representative for Korean peninsular peace and security affairs and Seoul’s chief nuclear negotiator, following their meeting last week in Washington.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)