Singapore: Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back left for Singapore on Friday to attend the annual Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue. During the event, he is expected to emphasize South Korea's defense policy and engage in bilateral meetings with defense counterparts from key partner nations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn is scheduled to deliver a speech at the plenary session of the forum on Saturday. His presentation will focus on outlining South Korea's defense policy directions in light of regional and global challenges. The summit is set to run from Friday through Sunday.
Following his speech, Ahn will hold bilateral talks with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. Their discussions are expected to center on strengthening the defense partnership between South Korea and Japan. A significant topic of their meeting will be the potential formal announcement to resume joint maritime search and rescue exercises, known as SAREX, which had been agreed upon during their previous talks in Japan in January.
While a formal bilateral meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is unlikely, Ahn may still meet with him informally on the sidelines of the dialogue. This comes after their recent discussions in Washington earlier this month.
In addition to these meetings, Ahn is slated to engage in a series of bilateral talks with defense counterparts from countries including Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The possibility of a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and Japan remains uncertain.
Moreover, Ahn plans to meet with members of the U.S. House and Senate attending the forum. His return to South Korea is scheduled for Monday.