Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back Attends the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus
Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea
2025-11-17
On the morning of Saturday, November 1 (local time), Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back attended the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he emphasized the South Korean government's commitment to denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula and outlined plans to strengthen defense cooperation with ASEAN member states.
Minister Ahn emphasized that the Defense Ministry will pursue a consistent "two-track approach" aimed at easing military tensions and building mutual trust while maintaining a strong deterrence through a robust ROK-US combined defense readiness posture.
He also stressed that achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolving North Korea's nuclear issues are collective challenges requiring the joint efforts of the international community. He called for the interest and support of all participating countries to address these common tasks effectively.
Minister Ahn stated that the Defense Ministry will strengthen its contribution to advancing the Korea-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) vision,* as outlined by President Lee Jae-myung at last month's Korea-ASEAN Summit.
* On October 27, 2025, President Lee articulated South Korea's aspiration to be a source of dreams and hope for ASEAN, a springboard for innovation-driven growth, and a reliable partner for peace and stability.
Minister Ahn Gyu-back proposed specific cooperation areas including expanding educational exchange programs for ASEAN junior officers, strengthening defense industry and technological collaboration, and deepening maritime security and peacekeeping cooperation. He emphasized that South Korea will redouble its role and contribution to regional peace and stability through these efforts.
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