Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met with Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye today in Seoul during his first trip to the Asia-Pacific as Secretary of Defense and ahead of President Park's upcoming visit to Washington. Secretary Carter and President Park reaffirmed the strength and importance of the enduring alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) -- both in deterring North Korean threats to security and stability on the Korean peninsula, and in helping assure continued peace and prosperity throughout the Asia-Pacific region. They discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional, and global issues relevant to the U.S.-ROK alliance, including broadening allied security cooperation into new domains like space and cyberspace. Secretary Carter noted that the U.S.-ROK alliance continues to be a linchpin of peace and security in the region and increasingly around the world.