By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

Minister Ahn Gyu-back met with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, and expressed appreciation for NATO’s commitment to security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region on September 9.

Minister Ahn expressed serious concern over the escalating tensions in the international security environment. He assessed that the connectivity of security between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region is increasing and emphasized the importance of cooperation with NATO.

Chair Dragone agreed with Minister Ahn and expressed hope that substantial cooperation between South Korea and NATO will deepen and expand across various fields, including cyber, space, artificial intelligence, defense and military exchanges, and information sharing.

Minister Ahn stated his intention to expand defense industry cooperation with NATO, moving beyond partnerships with individual European countries. He requested Chair Dragone's interest in and support for the growth of the Korean defense industry. Both sides agreed to continue high-level exchanges to ensure that cooperation between South Korea and NATO evolves in a mutually beneficial and future-oriented manner.

Minister Ahn met with Damba Batlut, Minister of Defense of Mongolia. The two ministers discussed ways to enhance training cooperation, exchange military education, and promote collaboration in the defense industry.

Minister Ahn also met with Ivan Anušić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Croatia. This visit marks the first by a Croatian defense minister to South Korea and represents the inaugural defense ministerial meeting between the two countries. Both ministers agreed to use this meeting as momentum to enhance cooperation across various defense sectors, including high-level exchanges, military training, and the defense industry.