Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Republic of Korean Defense Minister meets with U.S. defense delegation 

Minister Jeong highlights the value of 70 years of the Republic of Korea-U.S. alliance 

Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo met with the delegation of the U.S. Capstone program at the main building of the ministry located in Yongsan, Seoul, in the afternoon on October 14. Capstone is a security program run by the U.S. National Defense University for general-level military officers and high-level government officials. It helps the officers to gain a better understanding of the security circumstances on the Korean Peninsula and the alliance between Republic of Korea and the U.S. through an annual visit, which has been held each year since its foundation in 1982.

Led by Kurt Tidd, a retired navy admiral and former commander of the U.S. Southern Command, the delegation is on a five-day trip to Republic of Korea that started on Friday.

During the meeting, Minister Jeong explained the Republic of Korean government’s efforts for the denuclearization of North Korea and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, noting that some progress has been made thanks to the staunch alliance between Republic of Korea and the US. Commenting on the strength of this 70–year alliance, Jeong said that deep-rooted trees will not be shaken by the wind. He added that the combined defense system between the two allies has greatly contributed to peace and stability in Northeast Asia as well as on the peninsula.

Highlighting the importance of interaction and cooperation between the two allies for the complete denuclearization and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, Minister Jeong asked for their backing in the development of bilateral ties.

Jeong also asked for the interest and support of the U.S. government and the delegation in order to push ahead with a complementary, future-oriented alliance for the envisioned transfer of the wartime operational control of Republic of Korean forces from Washington to Seoul.The delegation chief Kurt Tidd said that his father served in the Korean War as a member of the U.S. Navy, and that he also played a part in developing the Korea–U.S. alliance while he was on active duty. He added that the Capstone will continue to develop strategic bilateral ties to carry forward efforts for the alliance, and will act with responsibility as a next-generation leader to guide U.S. defense policies. 

By Byeong-No, Yun