Defense chief heads to Philippines for ASEAN-led defense ministers’ meeting
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Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul speaks during a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul heads to the Philippines Tuesday to attend a regional defense ministers’ meeting, his first multilateral security gathering since taking office, the Ministry of National Defense said.
Kang will take part in the 13th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) on Thursday, the ministry said.
The ADMM-Plus brings together defense ministers from the 11 ASEAN member states and eight of the bloc’s dialogue partners, including Korea, the United States and Japan.
Launched in 2010, it serves as a platform for defense cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. The Philippines, which holds the rotating ASEAN chair this year, is hosting the meeting in Lapu-Lapu City in the province of Cebu.
At this year’s meeting, participants will assess the regional security environment and discuss ways to strengthen defense cooperation for peace and stability.
During the main session, Kang will stress the need for international cooperation to maintain regional peace and propose practical measures to boost defense cooperation between Korea and ASEAN, according to the ministry.
He will also explain the Korean government’s efforts to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and ask participating countries for their interest and support.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Kang plans to hold bilateral talks with defense ministers from major countries in the region to discuss expanding defense exchanges and cooperation in the defense industry.
Kang, a retired Army general who previously served as deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, took office as defense minister in September.
The ministry said the trip offers him an opportunity to introduce the government’s foreign security policy to regional counterparts and lay the groundwork for broader defense industry cooperation.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
