Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

[In 19th Asia Security Summit] 
ROK, New Zealand hold defense ministerial talks

In the afternoon of June 10, Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop held bilateral talks with his New Zealand counterpart Peeni Henare on the sidelines of the 19th Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue) held in Singapore, and the two sides exchanged opinions on bilateral cooperation in the areas of national defense and the arms industry, as well as the security situation in the region.

Expressing concern about the rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, including the recent consecutive missile launches from North Korea, Henare explained that New Zealand has been faithfully implementing sanctions against North Korea and taking an active part in the international community’s signing of statements condemning North Korea’s missile launches. 

The two ministers shared the assessment that the ROK and New Zealand have great potential for cooperation in defense-related areas, including climate change, humanitarian support and disaster relief exercise, as well as personnel exchanges between their armed services, as similar nations which share values including freedom, democracy, and a free market economy, and agreed to further expand related cooperation in the future.