Wed Sep 25 07:37:56 UTC 2024: ## ROK and US Reaffirm Ironclad Alliance, Strengthen Defense Cooperation Amid North Korean Threats
**Seoul, South Korea** – The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States (US) held their 25th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) in Seoul on September 23-24, 2024, reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the alliance and outlining key plans to counter North Korea’s escalating military threats.
Led by ROK Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy Cho Chang Lae and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Anka Lee, the dialogue focused on the three pillars of the US-ROK Alliance Defense Vision: enhancing extended deterrence, modernizing capabilities through science and technology cooperation, and strengthening regional security cooperation.
Both sides condemned North Korea’s continued nuclear and missile development programs, including its diversification of delivery systems and space launch attempts, emphasizing the destabilizing impact on the Korean Peninsula and the region. They reaffirmed their shared goal of complete denuclearization of North Korea and pledged to maintain a vigilant combined defense posture through close coordination and information sharing.
The US reaffirmed its commitment to defend South Korea, utilizing the full range of its defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, missile defense, and advanced non-nuclear capabilities. The US underscored that any nuclear attack by North Korea on the US or its allies would result in the end of the Kim regime.
The dialogue also addressed concerns over North Korea’s increasing military cooperation with Russia, particularly the illegal arms trade and transfer of high-tech equipment, violating United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Both sides pledged to respond collaboratively with the international community to address these concerns.
Recognizing the rapid advancements in North Korea’s missile capabilities, the two sides discussed enhancing their combined counter-missile strategy, including information sharing through the US Shared Early Warning System. They further acknowledged the importance of closely coordinated responses to North Korea’s “gray zone” provocations, such as cyber and electromagnetic attacks, and threats in the vicinity of the Northwest Islands and Northern Limit Line (NLL).
The two sides commended the recent ULCHI FREEDOM SHIELD 24 (UFS 24) exercise, which included realistic threats and strengthened their crisis management, deterrence, and defense capabilities. They pledged to further enhance combined exercises and training in line with the evolving security environment on the Korean Peninsula.
In terms of modernizing alliance capabilities, the delegations applauded the progress made in establishing a Defense Science and Technology Executive Committee under the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) and pledged to expedite practical cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous technology, and next-generation communications. They also discussed the possibility of holding a joint ROK-US Defense Science and Technology Conference in 2025.
The KIDD also saw a commitment to expanding cooperative measures to enhance the defense industrial base and interoperability of both countries. The two sides recognized the need to provide reciprocal market access and pledged to advance progress on a Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement.
Finally, the two sides reiterated their commitment to deepening cooperation with like-minded countries to achieve shared security goals. They pledged to strengthen cooperative efforts based on their respective Indo-Pacific strategies, including measures for regional cooperation with ASEAN members and Pacific Islands Countries. They also emphasized the importance of continuing to strengthen ROK-US-Japan security cooperation through the Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework (TSCF).
The 25th KIDD concluded with both delegations expressing their strong solidarity and reiterating their commitment to achieve meaningful progress at the 56th SCM, to be hosted in late 2024.
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