정경두, 에스퍼 美국방대행과 통화…"비핵화 외교적 노력 지원"<br /><br />South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo spoke on the phone Tuesday with the acting U.S. Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper a call in which they reaffirmed their countries strong alliance.<br />They also vowed to support the diplomatic efforts aimed at the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.<br />Seoul's defense ministry said Jeong conveyed his expectations that Esper,... based on his experience in defense,... will contribute to the alliance's development.<br />The two agreed that the peninsula has seen dramatic security changes under the one-and-a-half-year leadership of Esper's predecessors, James Mattis and Patrick Shanahan.<br />Esper is a 1986 graduate of West Point.<br />He worked as a lobbyist for the defense firm Raytheon for seven years until 2017... and after that served as Army Secretary. <br />
