Minister Ahn Gyu-baek of the Ministry of National Defense said he is reviewing ways to contribute to international efforts to normalize navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Minister Ahn said at the plenary session of the 23rd Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue) in Singapore on the 30th, "Our government recognizes the guarantee of free navigation based on international law in major sea lanes as extremely important," and "We are joining various international efforts for the safety of the Strait of Hormuz and are actively reviewing practical ways to contribute, taking into account domestic law and other factors."
Minister Ahn's remarks came after the government effectively identified Iran as the attacker in the investigation announcement on the Strait of Hormuz "Namuho attack." However, he did not mention specific contribution measures such as dispatching warships.
In his speech, Minister Ahn said of North Korea, "It is emerging as a new threat to the security environment on the Korean Peninsula by supporting the war in Ukraine and modernizing its conventional forces by receiving a transfer of Russian military technology," and "North Korean troops deployed to the war are strengthening their ability to conduct modern warfare by accumulating combat experience in drone operations, electronic warfare, and cyberwarfare."
He added, "Our military will actively pursue strengthening independent capabilities for the defense of the Korean Peninsula led by the Republic of Korea while maintaining a firm South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture," and "We will further advance the Korean-style three-axis system to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, and deepen and develop extended deterrence cooperation with the United States."
Meanwhile, before the speech, Minister Ahn met with reporters regarding the controversy over the U.S. Forces Korea commander's remark that "Korea is a dagger to China," and said, "Because I communicate frequently with (Pete) Hegseth, the Minister of the U.S. Department of Defense, whenever there are pending issues, I do not consider such matters to be of great importance."
He also said it "is meaningful" that Minister Hegseth gave a positive assessment in his speech that day of South Korea's nuclear-powered submarines and the push to transfer wartime operational control, adding, "The assessment of and mutually amicable trust in the alliance's various capabilities and competencies are very deep."