Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

On the afternoon of May 31, 2024 (Friday), Minister of National Defense Shin Won Sik met with a delegation of three U.S. Senators—Dan Sullivan, Tammy Duckworth, and Laphonza Butler—in Singapore to exchange views on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, strategies to enhance the Korea-U.S. alliance, and key regional security issues.

Both sides strongly condemned North Korea's recent attempts to launch a military reconnaissance satellite, agreeing that these actions are a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting the use of ballistic missile technology as well as scientific and technological cooperation.

Minister Shin conveyed appreciation for the U.S. Congress's active support in maintaining a robust South Korea-U.S. joint defense posture and fulfilling the United States’ commitment to extended deterrence.

He also expressed gratitude to the U.S. Congress for its bipartisan support in maintaining U.S. military forces in Korea while calling for continued congressional attention to further strengthen the joint defense posture.

In addition, Minister Shin emphasized the importance of completing the "South Korea-U.S. integrated extended deterrence" system to deter and respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. He requested congressional support to enhance the execution capability of extended deterrence.

Minister Shin stressed that the South Korea-U.S. alliance is the linchpin of security on the Korean Peninsula and a bulwark for safeguarding the Indo-Pacific region as well as upholding a rules-based international order. He called for continued attention and support from the U.S. Congress to further develop the robust South Korea-U.S. alliance.

The U.S. Senate delegation noted the increasing strategic value of the Korean Peninsula in maintaining regional peace and stability, and pledged bipartisan support to further strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance that has been exemplary.

Specifically, both sides shared the view that cooperation between South Korea and the United States in the defense industry as well as advanced science and technology sectors would provide an opportunity to further bolster the alliance. They both agreed on the importance of support from the U.S. Congress in developing the South Korea-U.S. alliance into a science and technology alliance.

The U.S. Senate delegation also acknowledged the importance of security cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan to deter and respond to the escalating North Korean nuclear and missile threats, pledging active support to continue strengthening trilateral security cooperation.

Minister Shin mentioned that trilateral security cooperation has made unprecedented progress since the Camp David Summit and said that South Korea is closely collaborating with the United States and Japan to institutionalize future trilateral security cooperation.

Also, both sides expressed concerns about deepening instability in the international security environment and reaffirmed the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance for regional and global peace and stability.

In this regard, they both shared an understanding of the necessity of expanding regional security cooperation based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance and agreed that the Indo-Pacific strategies of the two nations call for further strengthening of cooperation with nations that share values.

Both sides agreed that support from both the governments and legislatures of the two nations is essential for the South Korea-U.S. alliance to leap forward as a "global comprehensive strategic alliance" and committed to continuous cooperation aimed at the qualitative and quantitative enhancement of their alliance.