South Korea and China will hold defense ministerial talks in February, next year, in Beijing.

During the meeting, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie will discuss current regional security issues, including North Korea’s military provocations.

A senior ministry official said that the two nations will be holding working-level talks in early January to prepare for the meeting.

The official also said that Seoul and Beijing have been discussing the agenda for the meeting since the second half of this year. Yet, North Korea’s artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island, as well as the replacement of South Korea’s defense minister delayed the schedule.

South Korea-China defense ministerial talks are held once or twice a year, alternately in South Korea and China. The previous meeting was held in Beijing in May.

The ministry official said that generally the topic is on increasing bilateral military exchanges, but the upcoming meeting will discuss current military issues such as North Korea’s sinking of a South Korean naval corvette in March and the North’s artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island that happened in November.