South Korea and US to expand cooperation in aerospace technologies exchanges.

"South Korea explained its defense technology protection policy and the need for bilateral defense technology cooperation to the U.S., while Washington outlined its trade policy for conventional weapons and basic rules and principles it follows in the defense trade," the statement said.

The two countries "tentatively" agreed to hold the second DTSCG meeting in 2017, but the venue for the meeting has yet to be decided, a ministry official said.

Also in the meeting, South Korea called on the U.S. to transfer core technologies needed to build its own fighter jets under the "KF-X" project. The KF-X project calls for building 120 locally made twin-engine combat jets. The country plans to operate the new planes starting in the mid-2020s to replace its aging jet fleet of F-4s and F-5s.

"At the technology transfer request, our U.S. counterparts said 'there is a need for additional discussions,'" the ministry official said.

In November, the U.S. government gave the approval to exports 21 core technologies needed for the KF-X project. But follow-up measures to deliver the technologies have yet to be taken on the U.S. side, according to the ministry.

Korean officials also asked for the technology transfer for its medium-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (MUAV) development program. The U.S. side said "considerations are under way" for the drone request.

On the sidelines of the defense talks, Hwang met Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert O. Work to share views on extended efforts between the two allies to cope with ever-growing nuclear and military threats from North Korea, it said.

In its latest provocations, North Korea fired off three ballistic missiles claiming the move was aimed at preparing it forces to carry out pre-emptive strikes against South Korea ports and airfields. All three missiles were launched on July 19, with at least two flying some 500 to 600 kilometers.