Seoul to send military officials to Beijing parade

South Korea plans to dispatch senior military officials to China’s World War II anniversary parade next week despite lingering controversy over the two countries’ growing security cooperation, military sources said Wednesday.

The three-member delegation will be led by Lt. Gen. Chung Kyung-doo, head of strategic planning at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the sources said. Defense Minister Han Min-koo also said he would send three executives including a three-star general at a parliamentary session later in the day.

But Seoul’s Defense Ministry said it was still reviewing their participation in the parade, though it confirmed that the three will be in Beijing next week for the Victory Day event. 

The guard of honor of the Chinese People`s Liberation Army`s Three Services takes part in a rehearsal in Beijing on Sunday for a military parade scheduled for Sept. 3 to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People`s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggressions and the World Anti-Fascist War. (Xinhua-Yonhap)

The military parade through Tiananmen Square in the capital on Sept. 3 is set to be the centerpiece of Beijing’s first-ever high-profile event designed to commemorate the joint victory in the six-year conflict. Top leaders from 30 countries, including Russia, have announced their participation.

President Park Geun-hye is also expected to take part in the event during her scheduled trip on Sept. 2-4. Cheong Wa Dae, however, has not yet made it official given the diplomatic and military sensitivity of the issue in light of relations with the U.S., which remains wary of China’s rapid arms buildup and growing assertiveness in the region. 

The decision to send the military delegation was made upon request from the Chinese defense ministry, which reportedly wanted JCS chairman Choi Yun-hee to lead it.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)