Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Telephone conversation between South Korea and US Defense Ministers

In a telephone conversation with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Friday, July 30, 2021, Defense Minister Suh Wook reaffirmed the ironclad ROK-US alliance and emphasized the importance of close cooperation between the two nations.

In addition, the two Ministers discussed a variety of current defense issues and shared their assessment of the security environment surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

Both sides agreed on the need to maintain a strong combined defense posture and continuous communication in order to ensure that the ROK-US alliance remains a key pillar of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region.

The two government officials confirmed the progress made through the ROK-US summit in May 2021, and agreed to continue cooperating to achieve meaningful outcomes at the 53rd Korea-US Security Council Meeting (SCM), which is due to be held in Korea this fall.