The military chiefs of South Korea and the United States held annual talks in Seoul on regional security and alliance issues, including a soon-to-expire military intel-sharing pact between Seoul and Tokyo.

At the 44th Military Committee Meeting on Thursday led by South Korea's Gen. Park Han-ki, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his U.S. counterpart Gen. Mark Milley, the allies assessed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and their joint defense posture.

Park and Milley also discussed the outcome of the initial operational capability test in August for the planned conditions-based transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul.

Washington, which has been exerting pressure on Seoul to reverse its decision on the General Security of Military Information Agreement with Tokyo before it expires on November 22, reportedly stressed the need to renew the accord.

Seoul, in response, said it won't retract the decision unless Tokyo withdraws its trade restrictions against South Korea -- erected in apparent retaliation over colonial-era grievances -- and asked Washington to help resolve the row.

Washington is also reported to have brought up its demand that Seoul increase its contribution to stationing U.S. troops on the peninsula.

Details of Thursday's meeting will be reported to the annual Security Consultative Meeting between the allies' defense chiefs in Seoul on Friday.