Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

-Minister Suh calls for the UK’s support for the ROK’s efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula

-Minister Wallace stresses “We view the ROK as a key cooperative partner”

On the morning of July 21, Minister of National Defense Suh Wook and the United Kingdom’s (UK) Defense Minister Ben Wallace held a meeting of ROK-UK defense ministers, and shared opinions on ways to cooperate on exchanges in the area of defense.

This meeting was held as part of Minister Wallace’s visit to Asia. “The UK has been placing a higher importance on the Indo-Pacific region since Brexit (the UK's departure from the European Union in January 2020), and the ROK is one of our key cooperative partner countries in the region,” Wallace said.

“The ROK is the UK’s old friend and one of strategic partners in the security and defense areas,” Wallace said, stressing that “The UK will work in cooperation with the ROK to build regional prosperity and development, and above all, hopes to expand exchanges and cooperation with ROK in the area of defense.”

Responding to Wallace’s remarks, Suh commented “Our government hopes to expand cooperation with the UK, a nation that fought by our side in the Korean War and one of our traditional allies, in a range of areas, as well as in defense,” adding “We welcome the UK’s policy goal of placing a higher importance on Asia.” Suh also called for “the UK’s active support for the ROK’s genuine efforts for denuclearization and the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

During the meeting, the two ministers agreed to push forward with bilateral exchanges and cooperation, such as the operation of regular consultative groups, including a Army-Navy-Air Force meeting, high-level exchanges, and exchanges among troops, as soon as the COVID-19 situation is stabilized.

Significantly, Wallace promised to “provide active support to successfully hold the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference, slated for December,” saying that “The UK is considering allowing high-level officials to participate in the Seoul Defense Dialogue, slated for this September.”

By Su-Yeol, Maeng <guns13@dema.mil.kr >

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