Page 235 - 2020 Defence White Paper

between the ROK and the ASEAN based on the direction of development of defense
cooperation between the ROK and the ASEAN. In 2018, the ROK shared its
experiences in developing the defense industry following the implementation of NSP
and discussed ways to further expand the win-win defense cooperation between the
ROK and the ASEAN. At the 2019 talks, marking the 30th anniversary of the ROK-
ASEAN dialogue relations, the participants broadly discussed areas where defense
cooperation between the ROK and the ASEAN can be enhanced in the future. They
also formed a consensus on the importance of cooperating on and responding to
cybersecurity threats, which is being emphasized recently by the world. The ROK–
ASEAN defense vice-ministerial talks, which has been held three times, is
becoming an annual consultative meeting of importance in the defense domain that
is no longer just a sidebar meeting at the SDD.

ASEAN Defense Ministers’ The MND participates in ADMM-Plus, which
Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) was first launched in 2010, every year. The 7th
meeting in 2020 was held in the form of video
conference due to the outbreak of COVID-19. At the meeting, the ROK Minister of Chapter 6
National Defense emphasized the importance of multilateral security cooperation to
respond to the changed security environment and introduced cases of the ROK’s
response to the pandemic based on "solidarity and cooperation". To develop national
defense cooperation with the ASEAN countries, the Minister agreed to expand
commissioned education for PKO, strengthen cooperation in response to cyber-threats
in the region, and participate in combined exercises organized by the ASEAN countries.

The Minister also explained that building trust on the Korean Peninsula contributes
to the establishment of peace in the Asia-Pacific region, and asked for support and
cooperation from member states for the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.
Meanwhile, from April 2017 to March 2020, the Minister, together with his
Singaporean counterpart, successfully
completed the mission of co-chairing
the "marine security subcommittee",
one of the seven subcommittees of
the ADMM-Plus. In addition, the
Minister is faithfully carrying out the
task of co-chairing the "cybersecurity
subcommittee" with Malaysia since
7th ADMM-Plus (December 2020) April 2020.

Chapter 6. Developing a Robust ROK–US Alliance that is Mutually Complementary and Promoting Defense Exchanges and Cooperation 233