On October 2, Minister of National Defense Shin Kyubeak met with Daniel Driscoll, the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army, and pledged cooperation between the two countries in the field of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO).
That morning, Minister Shin received Secretary Driscoll at the Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where they discussed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and ways to advance the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
During the meeting, Minister Shin emphasized that mutual trust and cooperation between the defense and military authorities of South Korea and the United States have been the driving force behind the development of the alliance. He also stressed the importance of working closely with Secretary Driscoll to further strengthen the alliance.
Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining a robust combined defense posture to deter and respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Minister Shin highly valued the critical role of United States Forces Korea in contributing to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
In particular, Minister Shin highlighted the need to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in science and technology and the MRO sector in order to develop the alliance into a "future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance." Secretary Driscoll expressed his agreement with this view.
The two sides also agreed on the growing importance of drones in modern warfare and decided to expand cooperation in joint research, production, and operation of drones.
Meanwhile, Secretary Driscoll also met with Army Chief of Staff Kim Kyuha that morning to discuss ways to deepen exchange and cooperation for the future preparedness of the two armies. The two armies agreed to work closely together to share military innovation and to jointly advance in the field of sustained support.
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