Page 204 - 2018 Defense White Paper

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In the 1 SDD, representatives from 15 countries and 2 international organizations attended
and had meaningful discussions on the theme “Cooperation for a Safer Asia-Pacif ic Region—
Challenges and Solutions.” It was a successful launch of a Vice Defense Ministerial multilateral
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security dialogue in the Asia-Pacific region. The 2 SDD was attended by representatives from
20 countries, including a European nation that participated in the SDD for the f irst time, as
well as 3 international organizations. The 3 SDD in 2014 was joined by representatives from 24
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countries including South American countries and 3 international organizations. During the 3 rd

SDD, the Cyber Working Group was off icially launched, laying the foundation for multilateral
security cooperation on cybersecurity. Moreover, during the event, the MND hosted the
Northeast Asia minilateral talks, utilizing it as a venue for substantive defense cooperation. The

meeting was attended by of f icials from the ROK, the U.S., China, Japan, Russia, and Mongolia.
The 4 SDD in 2015 was joined by 30 countries and 4 international organizations. During
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the event, the SDD vision statement that aims to vitalize multilateral defense cooperation
was adopted, while the MND hosted the Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey, and Australia

(MIKTA) defense meeting for the first time to discuss ways to promote regional peace and
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stability as well as regional and international security issues. The 5 SDD in 2016 was attended
by representatives from 34 countries and 5 international organizations, with vice minister–level
off icials from Uganda and Ethiopia in Africa participating for the first time. The Vice Defense
Ministerial Talks between the ROK and the four Visegrad Group nations took place for the
f irst time during the 5 SDD. Representatives of the ROK and the 4 Visegrad Group countries
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that have become increasingly close with the ROK discussed measures to counter North Korea’s
nuclear program as well as ways to vitalize their defense industrial cooperation.
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The 6 SDD, held in 2017 under the theme “Visions for Security Cooperation in an Age
of Uncertainty,” was attended by representatives from 40 countries and 3 international
organizations. The event helped expand the support base for the ROK government’s policies
toward North Korea, while the MND hosted the ROK–ASEAN Vice Defense-Ministerial Talks

involving ASEAN member states for the first time, in support of the ROK government’s New
Southern Policy.
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The 7 SDD in 2018, held under the overarching theme “Sustainable Peace: From Conflict to
Cooperation,” had the largest number of participating nations since its launch in 2012, with 52
nations and 3 international organizations attending. In the f irst plenary session on the subject
“Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the Establishment of a Peace Regime,” defense

202 Chapter 5 Development of the ROK–U.S. Alliance, and Expansion of Defense Exchanges and Cooperation