Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Minister of National Defense meets with members of US Congress: “Firm ROK-US alliance and combined readiness posture”

Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo held talks with the members of US Congress

“We should concentrate our capabilities on keeping North Korea from stepping off the path toward denuclearization”

They discussed ways to cooperate in the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and to develop the bilateral alliance

On February 25 (local time), Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo, who was visiting the United States (US) for a meeting of the defense ministers of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the US, met with some members of the US Congress to discuss ways to cooperate in the complete denuclearization and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, as well as to develop the ROK-US alliance, during a visit to the US Congress.

In meetings with the members of Congress, including with chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Senator James Inhofe, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy Senator Cory Gardner, chairman of the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy Congressman Ami Bera, Congressman Ted Yoho, and Congressman Mike Kelly, in Washington on Tuesday, Jeong expressed his gratitude for the attention and support the US Congress has provided for the sake of the ROK-US alliance, stressing that the ROK-US alliance and the combined readiness posture, which have contributed to maintaining and developing the security of the ROK for 70 years since the outbreak of the Korean War, are stronger than ever before. “The two countries’ governments are continuing their diplomatic efforts for complete denuclearization and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula,” he said, stressing that both countries should concentrate their capabilities on keeping North Korea from stepping off the path toward denuclearization.

The members of Congress shared the assessment that these meetings provided a good opportunity for them to better understand the efforts of the defense authorities of the two countries to resolve the pending issues of the ROK-US alliance, including sharing defense costs, and to strengthen the combined readiness posture. They also pledged to provide active support for the continuance of cooperation between the defense authorities of the two countries.

Regarding the US Congress members’ concerns about a delay in defense cost-sharing negotiations, Jeong explained the direct and indirect contributions, including the construction of Camp Humphreys, that Seoul has made to the stable stationing of cost-sharing. He also asked them to provide Congress-level support for the resumption of the negotiations in order to reach an agreement. Significantly, he said we should avoid the furlough of Korean workers employed at the US Forces in ROK (USFK) amid a delay in finalizing a defense cost-sharing deal, asking the US to review the use of the USFK’s operations and maintenance (O&M) budget to cover their salaries or reach a conditional deal on the wages alone.

Jeong also continued his diplomatic work with veterans. Ahead of the meetings with the members of Congress, he met with the members of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation (KWVMF), and was told that they would build the “Wall of Remembrance” in Washington. “I hope the Wall of Remembrance can be a new landmark in Washington,” he said, expressing his gratitude for KWVMF’s attention to the ROK-US alliance and the remembrance of veterans.

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