Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Republic of Korea calls for US efforts to strengthen Republic of Korea-US cooperation and alliance 

Ministry of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo met with former U.S. Forces Korea commanders Walter Sharp and Vincent Brooks, as they attended ADEX 

Vice Minister Park Jae-min and his counterparts from individual countries held bilateral talks on strengthening cooperation in national defense and the defense industry 

On October 16, Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo called for interest and support to strengthen the alliance between Republic of Korea and the U.S. at a meeting with former U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commanders.

At the main building of the ministry in Yongsan, Seoul, earlier in the day, Minister Jeong met with former U.S. Forces Korea commanders Walter Sharp and Vincent Brooks, who were visiting Seoul to attend the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX).

During the meeting, Minister Jeong expressed his thanks for their undiminished efforts to ensure a strong alliance between Republic of Korea and the U.S. and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Jeong said that such efforts and the more than 70-year strong Republic of Korea-U.S. alliance can serve as the groundwork for achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and the development of the Republic of Korea, while acting as a linchpin for peace and stability in the region. He also asked for their support in strengthening the cooperation and alliance between the Republic of Korean and the U.S. defense authorities, stressing that this is an important time in the process of denuclearization and the establishment of a lasting peace on the peninsula.

In their statement, former USFK commanders Sharp and Brooks commented that “The alliance between Republic of Korea and the U.S. is making progress toward a complementary effect to successfully support the peace process on the Korean Peninsula and further contribute to the maintenance of peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia and other regions in the world as well. We are continuing to work to further enhance the status of the alliance in the US.”

Minister Jeong also met with U.S. Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Charles Brown. Minister Jeong and Commander Brown shared the understanding that the working-level denuclearization talks between North Korea and the US had taken place thanks to the strong Republic of Korea-US alliance. They also agreed to strengthen interaction and cooperation between the air forces of Republic of Korea and the US in order to back up diplomatic efforts for denuclearization and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

Meanwhile, Vice Minister Park Jae-min also held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Botswana, Uzbekistan, Paraguay and Greece, as well as Cambodia’s army commander, on the sidelines of ADEX on Wednesday.

During the talks between Vice Minister Park and his Botswanian counterpart Matshidiso Bokole, they exchanged views on the recent security situation on the Korean Peninsula, the two countries’ pending defense issues, and ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries' defense industries. Park expressed thanks for Botswana’s support for the Republic of Korean government’s policy of complete denuclearization of the peninsula, and Bokole replied that Botswana would continue to actively support peace and stability on the peninsula. Bokole also expressed substantial interest in Republic of Korea’s advanced defense industry and a desire to expand exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. Park said that the Republic of Korean government expects bilateral cooperation in defense industries to progress, citing the fact that Botswana is the second African country with which Republic of Korea has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense industries and military cooperation.

During the meeting with Uzbekistanian Vice Defense Minister Oybek Ismailov, Vice Minister Park made a positive assessment of the establishment of the institutional framework and the solidification of a regular consultative body in order to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defense industries. Vice Minister Ismailov expressed his significant appreciation of Republic of Korea’s defense industrial technology and emphasized the need for continuous cooperation in defense industries. The two vice ministers agreed to expand exchanges in military education and strengthen strategic communication via a regular consultative body and high-level exchanges.

During the meeting with Paraguayan Vice Defense Minister Guzman Francisco Espinola, Vice Minister Park said that the Republic of Korean government expected bilateral cooperation to be expanded on the basis of the MOU on defense industries and military cooperation, signed between the two countries during this ADEX, and Republic of Korea’s experience would contribute to the project for the modernization of Paraguayan forces. Taking these bilateral talks as momentum, the two sides agreed to make interactive efforts to further exchanges and cooperation in national defense and the two countries' defense industries.

During the meeting between Vice Minister Park and Cambodia’s army commander Hun Manet, they shared a positive assessment of close defense cooperation between the two countries and agreed on the need to boost cooperation in peacekeeping operations (PKO) and defense industries. 

In his meeting with Greek Vice Defense Minister Alkifiadis Stefanis, Vice Minister Park expressed gratitude to the Greek soldiers who had sacrificed their lives to protect the Republic of Korea during the Korean War. The two vice ministers highly appreciated that the Greek military attache launched in Korea last year provided an institutional framework for cooperation in national defense and defense industries. They also agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in order to promptly conclude a MOU on cooperation in defense industries.

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

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