LEE JONG-SEOP ATTENDS SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE

[Anchor Lead]

In an address at Asia’s largest security talks, the Shangri-la Dialogue, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop emphasized that strength is required to denuclearize North Korea. He also said that South Korea intends to strengthen trilateral security cooperation with the United States and Japan as well as engage in sincere talks with Japan.

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On the last day of the Shangri-la Dialogue, South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop gave an address about North Korea’s denuclearization and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The defense chief once again confirmed that the main goal is the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea and that strong capabilities are required to achieve that goal. The first condition he presented to deter the regime's nuclear and missile threats was the execution of deterrence capabilities of the U.S. and stronger defense capabilities of the South Korean forces. Lee also pointed out that South Korea intends to strengthen trilateral security cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, and also, engage in sincere talks with Tokyo.

[Soundbite] Lee Jong-seop(Minister of Nat'l Defense) : "S. Korea and Japan still have many unresolved issues but must work together to find reasonable solutions that align with the two countries’ shared interests."

An official of Seoul's Defense Ministry said that security cooperation is different from military cooperation, instead proposing such solutions as a conventional high-ranking policy council or an intel sharing program. It may also be possible to restore the General Security of Military Information Agreement with Japan currently on conditional suspension. But some project that bilateral cooperation may still be limited given that a meeting between the South Korean and Japanese defense ministers failed to take place at the security summit. Minister Lee also proposed to extend security cooperation with ASEAN and Europe to carry out South Korea’s role as a leading global nation. He said that instability on the Korean Peninsula could lead to overall instability in Northeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. In relation to a security council for the Indo-Pacific region, Minister Lee said that Korea aims to make a maximum number of countries enjoy maximum security benefits rather than excluding certain countries.