US Defense Secretary: "China and North Korea Pose Unprecedented Threats... The ROK-US Alliance Is a Core Pillar"

On the afternoon of the 17th, Minister of National Defense Seo Wook is greeting U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and taking a commemorative photo at the South Korea-U.S. Defense Ministers' Meeting held at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter]U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasized on the 17th that "the ROK-U.S. alliance is more important than ever due to the unprecedented threats from China and North Korea."

On the first day of his visit to Korea, Secretary Austin made this remark during his opening statement at the ROK-U.S. Defense Ministers' Meeting held at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, adding, "Today, I have come to reaffirm the United States' commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea."

He described the ROK-U.S. alliance as "the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity in Northeast Asia, the free and open Indo-Pacific region, and the world," and praised it as "one of the most allied, interoperable, capable, and dynamic alliances in the world." He further stated, "(South Korea) is one of our most important partners in our shared regional priorities, especially in upholding a rules-based international order," adding, "South Korea is a key provider of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region."

This is seen as a reflection of the Biden administration's desire for South Korea to play a role in countering China, a priority emphasized since the administration's early days.

He also said, "Military readiness is a top priority, and our combined readiness must be prepared to 'fight tonight' if necessary," and in Korean said, "Let's go together."

Minister Suh also stated in his opening remarks, "Maintaining strong deterrence against North Korea and a combined defense posture is of utmost importance as the ROK-U.S. alliance develops," and added, "The two countries will further strengthen their cohesion as a military alliance going forward." He congratulated Secretary Austin on his appointment and said, "Since both of us served in the Army for a long time, I expect we will find much common ground through today's meeting."

Minister Suh served in the Army for about 39 years until just before his appointment, and Secretary Austin served for 45 years. Attending the meeting from the U.S. side were General Robert Abrams, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea; Mary Beth Morgan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Security; and David Helvey, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs. From the Korean side, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Won In-chul and Director General of Defense Policy Kim Man-gi were present.

Prior to the meeting, a formal honor guard ceremony was held at the Ministry of National Defense parade ground. Nineteen gun salutes were fired to pay respect and salute the two ministers. For the President and foreign heads of state, 21 gun salutes are fired, while 19 gun salutes are fired for the Speaker of the National Assembly, Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, and foreign ministers.

Considering that this was Secretary Austin's first official visit, the Ministry of National Defense reportedly prepared a formal ceremony with about 180 honor guards participating despite the COVID-19 situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.