Seoul, Nov 1 (IANS) The defence chiefs of South Korea and Japan met in Malaysia on Saturday and reaffirmed the importance of their trilateral security cooperation with the United States in the face of advancing North Korean nuclear and missile threats, the South Korean defence ministry said.
Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back held talks with new Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on the occasion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur, according to the ministry.
Ahn congratulated Koizumi on his inauguration and highlighted the importance of bilateral coordination and cooperation to strategically deal with geopolitical uncertainties and complex security crisis facing the two nations.
In response, Koizumi emphasised that South Korea is an important neighbouring country and a partner for his country in responding to various tasks facing the international community, Yonhap news agency reported.
Both ministers agreed to continue with efforts to advance their bilateral defence ties in a future-oriented manner, according to the ministry.
Their first in-person meeting came as North Korea continues to develop its nuclear and missile weapons, disclosing the new Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile and firing short-range ballistic missiles in October.
Meanwhile, Ahn highlighted South Korea’s efforts to denuclearise and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula during the defence ministerial gathering, calling for joint international efforts for such a goal.
“North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile capabilities and modernization of conventional weapons systems is a grave challenge to regional peace and stability and the international non-proliferation regime,” Ahn said in a speech.
“Not only South and North Korea, but nearby countries, including China, and the international community should together establish peace on the Korean Peninsula,” he said.
He said South Korea will seek a “two-track” approach in dealing with North Korea by maintaining firm deterrence on the back of a powerful South Korea-US combined defence posture while seeking to ease inter-Korean military tensions and building trust, the ministry said.
The defence chief also pledged to expand cooperation with ASEAN members and contribute to regional peace and stability by expanding personnel exchanges and education and strengthening the arms industry and technology cooperation.
In addition to his talks with Tokyo’s defence chief, Ahn also held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Australia, China, Malaysia and Thailand.
In his talks with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun, Ahn requested China’s “constructive” role for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
He also discussed ways to strengthen defence and arms industry cooperation in talks with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Thai Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit, according to the ministry.
–IANS
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