Participation in ADMM-Plus Plenary Session... "ASEAN is the Most Important Cooperation Partner in South Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy"
Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop attending the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) plenary session in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on the 23rd (local time), listening to presentations from participating countries. (Photo by Ministry of National Defense)
[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop emphasized that “North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, including the recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches and consecutive missile provocations as well as preparations for the 7th nuclear test, pose a serious threat not only to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula but also to the international community.”
According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 24th, Minister Lee, who is visiting Cambodia to attend the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), introduced the South Korean government’s Indo-Pacific strategy and the Ministry of National Defense’s policy direction for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region at the plenary session held on the 23rd, and discussed regional security issues.
Minister Lee stated, “Our government is striving to achieve ‘peace through strength’ based on a solid ROK-U.S. combined defense posture in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, while keeping the door open for dialogue through the ‘Bold Initiative’ to enable North Korea to take practical steps toward denuclearization.” He added that if North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations continue, security on the Korean Peninsula will become more unstable, which will negatively affect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region as well. Therefore, he requested support and cooperation to lead North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and come to the negotiating table.
The Ministry of National Defense reported that representatives from member countries including the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines condemned North Korea’s ballistic missile launches as a direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a challenge to international security.
Introducing the South Korean government’s Indo-Pacific strategy, Minister Lee explained that it aims to establish a rules-based international order grounded in universal values under the ‘three cooperation principles’ of inclusion, trust, and reciprocity to realize the ‘three visions’ of freedom, peace, and prosperity.
He also emphasized that the Korean government regards ASEAN as the most important cooperation partner in pursuing the Indo-Pacific strategy, and from this perspective, the Ministry of National Defense is establishing the ‘ROK-ASEAN Defense Cooperation Implementation Plan.’ The goal of the implementation plan is to develop multidimensional defense cooperation with ASEAN based on ASEAN centrality and ADMM-Plus, contributing to the activation of multilateral cooperation.
To this end, he added that South Korea will actively participate in the activities of the seven ADMM-Plus working groups, including maritime security, military medical support, humanitarian mine action, peacekeeping operations, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
At the plenary session, member countries adopted a joint declaration reflecting the results of the 9th meeting. With the conclusion of this meeting, Cambodia’s term as ASEAN chair ended, and Indonesia will begin its role as chair from 2023.
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