SEOUL : Talking About Troops

Defense Secretary Dick Cheney goes to Seoul for three days of consultations starting Wednesday. The annual defense talks could bring major changes in both the level of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and the command structure, traditionally dominated by Americans, under which U.S. and Korean troops would operate. But as South Koreans begin to take on more responsibility for their own defense, concern about a threat from North Korea looms larger because of growing evidence it is seeking nuclear weapons capability.

Cheney then visits with Japanese officials in Tokyo, where he is expected to negotiate increases in Japan’s contribution to the maintenance of U.S. troops.