Anchor: South Korea and the United States have agreed to strengthen their joint defense capacity in order to better respond to North Korea’s missile threats and cyber attacks. Jang Souie reports.

Report: The foreign and defense ministers of South Korea and the United States met in Washington Thursday where they made a joint statement explaining plans to strengthen the two nations' combined defense posture to counter North Korea’s increasing missile capabilities.

At the heart of the decision lies a plan to speed up the establishment of a missile defense system in South Korea that work began on in 2010.

The two countries also decided to set up a cyber security consultative entity where related government agencies and institutions will contribute to coordinate security policies in the government, military and business sector. The entity is aimed at combating a heightening cyber threat from the North.

The ministers also assessed that the transfer of the wartime operational control (OPCON) from the U.S. to South Korea is being smoothly carried out. The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to maintain its military presence in the Korean Peninsula at the current level.

Officials said North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, as well as its continuous provocations are posing a huge threat to the Korea-U.S. alliance and peace and security in Northeast Asia and the world. They warned that countries provoked by the North will collaborate to respond.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also said that there has been progress regarding the expansion of the South Korean military’s missile range, and that they will soon find a solution to the issue.

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin took part in the bilateral meeting, while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta represented the U.S.

Jang Souie, KBS World Radio News.