Defense ministers of South Korea and the United States were to hold their annual talks Monday to discuss a range of defense issues, including how to handle North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.
  

The 47th Security Consultative Meeting between Defense Minister Han Min-koo and U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is scheduled to kick off in the late morning at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul.
  

North Korea's nuclear and missile capacities are likely to be the main focus of the discussion, with the top defense officials expected to delve into how to deter the communist country's continuing nuclear activities.
  

Han and Carter also plan to adopt guidelines on their "four Ds" of operations involving military actions: to detect, disrupt, destroy and defend against North Korea's ballistic missile threats.
  

Another major focus of this year's SCM is a delay in the transfer of the Washington-held wartime operational control of South Korean troops to Seoul.
  

In their SCM last year, the allies agreed to postpone the transfer, previously set for late 2015, until South Korea becomes fully capable of defense against North Korea.
  

The timing is tentatively set for mid-2020, when Seoul will have its Kill Chain and Korean Air Missile Defense systems ready.
  

Han and Carter may reaffirm their commitment to the installation of South Korea's indigenous defense systems.
  

Trilateral cooperation involving Japan may also be put on the table to enhance their information-sharing efforts on North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, according to officials. (Yonhap)