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Korea remains exposed to one of the strongest military threats in the world even as inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation have increased, Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said Saturday. Lee was delivering a keynote speech titled ¡°Defense Policy in the Era of Uncertainty: South Korea's View¡± at the seventh Asia Security Conference on Saturday. The three-day meeting brought together defense ministers from 26 countries, including ASEAN, Australia, Japan, the U.S., and the U.K.
Lee said North Korea poses a serious threat not only to peace in Korean Peninsula but also to regional stability, as it continues to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Asked about Seoul¡¯s reluctance to join the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative, Lee said considering the security situation, South Korea is already participating within the possible range. ¡°The Korean government will continue to review the initiative and consider timing and range of participation,¡± he said. Currently, South Korea only sends an observation team to training for the PSI, which aims to intercept ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction or parts on the high seas. Some 86 countries have joined the initiative.
Lee also met with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba, and the two agreed to cooperate on strengthening three-way security among Korea, Japan, and the U.S.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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