NEW S. KOREAN DEFENSE MINISTER TAKES OFFICE, VOWING CHANGES.

SEOUL, March 3 Asia Pulse - A long-time advocate of a stronger alliance between South Korea and the United States assumed the country's highest defense post Friday, heralding closer ties between the two allies of more than half a century.

Lee Sang-hee, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took over the post of defense minister from Kim Jang-soo.

"The security situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula is still in a state of flux and remains uncertain. The fast-changing security conditions and various threats surrounding the peninsula call on our military to take on a greater role," Lee said in a speech at a ceremony that also marked the departure of his predecessor.

Lee, 63, said he will work to expand the country's defense capabilities until they significantly exceed the military strengths of North Korea, saying military threats from the communist nation are "very much real and present."

"We must always maintain firm deterrence and readiness so that they (North Koreans) will never even think about provoking us," the new defense chief said.

"Secondly, I will work to develop the South Korea-U.S. military alliance in a creative way," he said, noting one of the most immediate tasks was to make sure the countries' ...