Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun meets with defense ministers at the 13th Seoul Defense Dialogue

2024 Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD)

A series of bilateral meetings helped to broaden the scope of solidarity

Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun held bilateral meetings with defense ministers and heads of international organizations who were in Korea to attend the 13th Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) held in Seoul on September 11. During the meetings, defense and defense industry cooperation were discussed.

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Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun shakes hands with NATO Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer (left ) and Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair (right) before bilateral meetings during their visit to Korea to attend the 13th SDD.

NATO

Strong reaction to military cooperation between Russia and North Korea

Minister Kim held a bilateral meeting with NATO Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer and exchanged views on the security situation and the development of Korea-NATO security and defense cooperation.

Minister Kim highly appreciated the strong international response to Russia-North Korea military exchanges as agreed by the leaders of Korea and NATO, as well as the consolidation of cooperation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific 4 (IP4) (Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand), and urged joint efforts to achieve substantial progress in the security and defense sectors.

Chair Bauer noted the rapidly changing global security situation in the aftermath of the Ukraine-Russia war, and spoke positively of South Korea's contribution to peace and stability in Europe through its support for Ukraine.

Cameroon

This was the first meeting of defense ministers since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1961.

Minister Kim also met with Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair and discussed the security situation in the region and on the Korean Peninsula as well as ways to deepen bilateral defense cooperation.

The two ministers noted that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between the two countries has deepened since the exchange of state visits by their respective leaders in 2022, and vowed to achieve tangible results in defense and the defense industry as well.

Minister Kim acknowledged Canada's active help in imposing sanctions on North Korea and its contribution to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through its activities in the United Nations Command. Minister Blair emphasized the strategic importance of South Korea in the Indo-Pacific region and suggested that the two countries work closely together. In particular, Minister Kim mentioned the excellent submarine construction capabilities of Korean companies in relation to the Canadian Navy's ongoing next-generation submarine project.

The two ministers agreed that Korea's participation in Canada's forces project will contribute to the Korea-Canada CSP, which goes beyond simple defense cooperation.

Canada

Emphasized Korea's superiority in the next-generation submarine project.

Minister Kim also held a bilateral meeting with Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen and discussed the security situation in the region and on the Korean Peninsula, as well as ways to promote cooperation in the fields of defense, the defense industry and technology.

Minister Kim said the security interdependence between Asia and Europe has deepened amid an increasingly unstable international security environment and supported Finland's decision to abandon its longstanding position of neutrality and join NATO in April 2023 as its 31st member.

Minister Häkkänen shared the understanding that the international security environment has become more serious amid closer ties between Russia and North Korea following the Russia-Ukraine war.

In particular, the Finnish defense minister expressed the hope to expand defense and defense industry cooperation with South Korea, a defense industry power with advanced technology.

Minister Kim noted the developing defense industry ties with Finland with the export of K9 self-propelled howitzers to Finland and urged further strengthening of bilateral defense cooperation.

Since it signed its first K9 purchase contract in 2017, Finland has purchased a total of 96 units of K9 self-propelled howitzers in three subsequent option contracts.

Finland

Deepening cooperation following export of the K9 self-propelled howitzer

Minister Kim held the first Korea-Cameroon defense ministerial meeting with Cameroonian Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo. The two ministers agreed that bilateral cooperation has been expanded following Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's first visit to Cameroon last year and the Korea-Africa Summit in 2024. Korea established diplomatic relations with Cameroon in 1961.

At the meeting, the two defense ministers agreed to consolidate efforts in various fields to build on the recent momentum of defense and defense industry cooperation. In addition to strengthening Cameroon's defense capabilities, which contribute to regional peace and security in Africa, the two countries pledged to explore ways to expand defense industry ties, including Cameroon's national information and communications network project.

Minister Kim also held bilateral defense ministerial meetings with Malaysia, Mongolia, Japan and the UAE to discuss bilateral defense cooperation.

By Ah-Mi, Cho <[email protected]>

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