By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee met with Luke Pollard, the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, Seoul, on August 26 to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defense and the defense industry.

The UK Ministry of Defense appoints Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State to oversee ministerial affairs, defense acquisition, military affairs, and personnel. The Under-Secretary for the Armed Forces is specifically responsible for force readiness and crisis management.

Vice Minister Lee emphasized that the United Kingdom is a traditional ally of South Korea, having sent a large number of troops during the Korean War to help defend the Republic of Korea. He also expressed his appreciation for the UK’s ongoing commitment to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary Pollard endorsed South Korea’s policy toward North Korea, emphasizing peace on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization in the North. He expressed hope to further strengthen defense exchanges and cooperation by promoting councils between defense ministries and senior military officials, as well as expanding combined exercises.

The two vice ministers also highly valued the deepening and progress of the global strategic partnership between their countries and committed to achieving tangible results in the defense and defense industry sectors.

In the defense cooperation sector, they agreed to establish an institutional foundation by signing a Korea-UK Defense Cooperation MOU and to broaden the scope of their collaboration. In the defense industry sector, both sides pledged to intensify efforts to increase mutually beneficial cooperation, including joint defense exports.

The Defense Ministry explained, “The two vice ministers agreed to maintain close communication on major outstanding issues while expanding strategic cooperation in diplomacy, security, defense, and the defense industry, based on the strong trust between the two countries.”