Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Vice Defense Minister meets with the Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command

-Extended appreciation for the support of the US Indo-Pacific Command for strengthening the execution of extended deterrence commitment, such as the first NCG meeting and the port call of a nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) at Busan Port.
- Admiral Aquilino said, “The ROK-US alliance is unprecedentedly strong, and the United States will be wherever South Korea needs us to be.”

On Monday, July 24, Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul met with Admiral John C. Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. They assessed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and the region and discussed major pressing issues of the alliance.

Vice Defense Minister Shin expressed his gratitude for the active support of Admiral Aquilino and the US Indo-Pacific Command as Seoul and Washington implement the closest ever bilateral cooperation to further bolster the ROK-US alliance.

He highlighted that the first NCG session last week and the port call of the nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) at Busan Port demonstrate the robust commitment and capabilities of the alliance for the execution of extended deterrence.

Admiral Aquilino concurred with Vice Defense Minister Shin, and described the current state of the alliance as being stronger than ever, and said that the United States will be “wherever the South Korea needs us to be,” and highly rated the continued deployment of US strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula as a leading example of the execution of extended deterrence capability.

On the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US Alliance, both sides recognized that the repatriation of the remains of Korean soldiers as a significant moment that underscores the meaning of their blood-forged alliance. They reaffirmed their commitment to closely cooperate in order to strengthen this alliance.