US Secretary of Defense to Visit Korea and the Philippines Starting on the 29th

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will embark on a tour of South Korea and the Philippines on the 29th (local time).

Sabrina Singh, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, stated at a briefing on the 26th regarding the agenda for the visit to Korea, "We believe Secretary Austin will emphasize commitments to regional (defense)."

When asked whether Secretary Austin would meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol during his visit to Korea, she replied, "There is nothing to announce about the meeting at this time," adding, "Detailed schedules will be provided once they are ready for release."

Secretary Austin will depart on the 29th for his tour of South Korea and the Philippines. During his visit to Korea, he is scheduled to hold talks with Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop. It is also reported that he will meet with President Yoon.

Deputy Spokesperson Singh explained regarding the specific itinerary of the tour, "Secretary Austin will meet with senior government and military leaders of both countries to advance regional stability and further strengthen the defense partnership with the United States." She emphasized, "This visit reaffirms the United States' deep commitment to cooperating with allied and partner nations that support the shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Secretary Austin's visit to Korea is also reported to aim at assessing preparations for the upcoming Korea-U.S. Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Tabletop Exercise (DSC TTX) scheduled for next month. Unlike past exercises based on general crisis scenarios on the Korean Peninsula, this time the goal is to devise response measures based on scenarios involving North Korea's preemptive use of nuclear weapons.

Earlier, Patrick Ryder, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, announced on the 17th that Secretary Austin plans to visit South Korea and the Philippines within weeks. He stated, "Within weeks, Secretary of Defense Austin will visit South Korea and the Philippines to meet with senior government officials and military leaders," adding, "This tour reaffirms our commitment to cooperate with allied and partner nations for the shared vision of protecting a free and open Indo-Pacific region."