Deepening and Developing the ROK-US Alliance Through Close Communication

Minister Ahn Gyu-back meets with Joseph Y. Yun, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at the US Mission in Korea.

They pledge to collaborate in deterring and responding to North Korean threats.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, far left, and Joseph Y. Yun, chargé d'affaires ad interim at the US Mission in the Republic of Korea, discuss ways to strengthen the ROK-US alliance and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula on Aug. 22.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Joseph Y. Yun, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at the United States Mission in the Republic of Korea, shared a mutual understanding of the importance of close ROK-US collaboration to deter and respond to North Korean threats. They pledged to work together to maintain a robust combined defense posture and to deepen and strengthen the Alliance.

Minister Ahn received Joseph Y. Yun at the Defense Ministry in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of August 22 and discussed the direction for developing the ROK-US Alliance and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Minister Ahn said, "The ROK-US Alliance is as close as both axles of a wheel or the two sides of a coin." He emphasized that it is critical to deepen and further develop the Alliance through close communication between the two countries.

Minister Ahn thanked him for his contributions to reinforcing the Alliance since his assignment to Korea in January.

Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Yun congratulated Minister Ahn on his inauguration and reaffirmed the strong US support for the ROK-US Alliance.

In particular, both sides agreed that the advancement of North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities, along with illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, pose grave threats to the international community as well as to the Korean Peninsula. They also agreed that the two countries must actively cooperate to effectively deter and respond to these threats.

Going forward, they pledged to work together to develop the Alliance from a mutually beneficial, future-oriented perspective while maintaining a robust combined defense posture.

By Byeong-No, Yun <[email protected] >

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