South Korean Military Official Calls for Deeper Indo-Pacific Security Cooperation

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- A top South Korean military official has underscored the need for deeper cooperation in joint operational readiness among Indo-Pacific nations, highlighting Seoul's role as a key security partner in the region.

Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), made the remarks during the Chiefs of Defense Conference in Canada on Tuesday (local time), addressing a rapidly evolving international security landscape.

"Strengthening interoperability among nations is essential to effectively responding to the shifting security environment in the Indo-Pacific," Kwon was quoted as saying by the JCS.

"The Republic of Korea will continue to contribute to ensuring regional peace and stability as a responsible security partner," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name.

The high-level military conference was launched in 1998 as a regional dialogue platform to discuss security challenges and ways to advance military cooperation among participating countries.

This year's conference, co-hosted by the United States and Canada, brought together top military officers from 30 countries.

Kwon also used the conference to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines with counterparts of key partner countries, including the U.S., Britain and Australia.

During the meetings, Kwon shared South Korea's latest security assessments on the Korean Peninsula and the broader Indo-Pacific, while exploring ways to expand bilateral military exchanges, including joint drills, with partner nations, the JCS said.