Ahn Gyu-back meets with US Senators.

Exchange views on alliance development and key issues.

Call for mutually beneficial cooperation in shipbuilding and MRO.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back requested bipartisan support from visiting US senators for South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine program during their meeting at the Ministry of National Defense.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back met with US senators at the Defense Ministry in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on April 2 and exchanged views on the development of the ROK-US alliance and other outstanding issues.

The US Senate delegation consisted of Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D), Jacky Rosen (D), Thom Tillis (R), and John Curtis (R).

Defense Minister Ahn expressed appreciation to the visiting US Senators for their unwavering support for South Korea and urged bipartisan congressional interest and cooperation to evolve the ROK-US alliance in a future-oriented and mutually beneficial manner. US Senators explained that the purpose of their visit is to tour key security sites in the Indo-Pacific region. The US Senators pledged bipartisan support to further develop the ROK-US alliance, which has evolved as the world’s most successful alliance over the past seven decades.

Defense Minister Ahn called for US congressional support for Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine program. Defense Minister Ahn stressed that mutually beneficial cooperation in shipbuilding and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) can be a key element in rebuilding the US shipbuilding industry and strengthening maritime power, urging active US congressional support.

The Defense Ministry stated, “Minister Ahn and the US Senators shared the understanding that US congressional support, along with bilateral cooperation between the two countries, plays an essential role in developing the alliance, and they pledged to further bolster the alliance through continuous cooperation.”

Vice Minister Lee Doo-hee Meets US House Members

Emphasized transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) and strengthening combined defense system.

Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee met with members of the US House of Representatives from the Congressional Study Group on Korea (CSGK) at the Ministry of National Defense on the same day to discuss advancing the ROK-US alliance.

The CSGK is a bipartisan study group on Korea within the US Congress, officially launched in February 2018 with currently 136 members from both the Senate and the House. The visiting US House members included Republicans Pat Harrigan and Ryan Zinke, and Democrats Ami Bera, Mark Pocan, Mary Scanlon, and Jill Tokuda.

Vice Minister Lee expressed gratitude to the US House members for their deep interest in Korea and urged bipartisan cooperation to develop the ROK-US alliance, with both countries maintaining robust confidence across all areas.

The US House members stated that this visit offers a valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of Korea’s defense policy and pledged active efforts to reinforce the ROK-US alliance.

Vice Minister Lee outlined the Korean government and military’s efforts to transition wartime operational control (OPCON) and emphasized that the transition should strengthen the ROK-US alliance and combined defense system. Vice Minister Lee stated that shipbuilding, MRO, and nuclear-powered submarine construction represent key issues requiring Korea-US cooperation and requested US congressional support.

Vice Minister Lee and the US House members agreed that the US Congress and both governments play crucial roles in strengthening the ROK-US alliance and pledged close cooperation for its continuous development.

By Byeong-No, Yun <trylover@dema.mil.kr >

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