The Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of National Defense (MND) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) held the 25th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) from September23-24, 2024, in Seoul.
Deputy Minister (DEPMIN) for National Defense Policy, Mr. Cho Chang Lae, led the ROK delegation. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for East Asia, Mr. Anka Lee, led the U.S. delegation. Key senior ROK and U.S. defense and foreign affairs officials also participated in the dialogue.
Both sides had an in-depth discussion focusing on the three pillars of the "Defense Vision of the U.S.-ROK Alliance": enhancing extended deterrence efforts against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), modernizing Alliance capabilities based on science and technology cooperation, and strengthening solidarity and regional security cooperation with like-minded partners. They acknowledged the importance of faithfully implementing the Defense Vision to strengthen the U.S.-ROK Alliance, and reviewed implementation of specific tasks. In addition, the two sides noted progress to align U.S.-ROK bilateral defense mechanisms under the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) to effectively and efficiently support strengthening the Alliance through the implementation of the Defense Vision, and pledged to continue assessing them.
The two sides reaffirmed their common goal of the complete denuclearization of the DPRK, and concurred on the importance of the Alliance's close coordination to maintain a vigilant combined defense posture. Both sides exchanged views on ever-changing DPRK threats, as well as its advancing nuclear and missile capabilities, which are destabilizing the Korean Peninsula and the region. Both sides strongly condemned DPRK provocations and threats that undermine regional peace and stability, including its diversification of nuclear delivery systems and continuing space launch attempts.
Both sides commended the Alliance's efforts to enhance extended deterrence in an integrated manner since President Biden and President Yoon's April 2023 Washington Declaration and committed to continue strengthening extended deterrence cooperation through the work of the Nuclear Consultative Group.
The United States reaffirmed its enduring and ironclad commitment to the defense of the ROK, utilizing the full range of U.S. defense capabilities – including nuclear, conventional, missile defense, and advanced non-nuclear capabilities – and reiterated that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the United States or its Allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of the Kim regime. Both sides affirmed that the full capabilities of the two countries would contribute to the Alliance's combined defense posture.
Both sides reviewed the progress from a joint study of the Alliance's comprehensive counter-missile strategy and also discussed future enhancements in information sharing through the U.S. Shared Early Warning System (SEWS) to respond to DPRK's advancing missile threats. The two sides pledged to continue developing response capabilities and posture through the Counter-Missile Working Group (CMWG).
The two sides expressed grave concern over the DPRK's continuing sending of filth balloons. They also recognized the need for closely coordinated responses to intensifying DPRK's gray zone provocations, such as cyber and electromagnetic attacks, and threats in the vicinity of the Northwest Islands and Northern Limit Line (NLL). Both sides noted that the NLL has been an effective means of separating military forces and preventing military tension over the past 70 years, and the ROK side urged the DPRK to accept the practical value of, and abide by, the NLL.
The two sides shared assessments of the recent ULCHI FREEDOM SHIELD 24 (UFS 24) exercise, which included realistic threats such as DPRK's advancing nuclear and missile threats, GPS jamming and cyber attacks. They agreed that UFS further enhanced the Alliance's crisis management and strengthened deterrence and defense capabilities. In addition, they assessed that combined field training exercises (FTX), which were more extensive than the past year in land, maritime and air domains, enhanced interoperability and combined capabilities to execute Alliance operations as well as demonstrated a robust ability to defend the ROK. Based on these achievements, both sides agreed to strengthen combined exercises and trainings in line with rapidly changing security environment of the Korean Peninsula.
The two delegations also discussed the danger of DPRK-Russian military cooperation following the signing of the "Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" between Russia and the DPRK. In particular, they expressed grave concern over illegal arms trade and transfer of high-technology between Russia and the DPRK that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), and pledged to respond by working closely together with the international community. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of full implementation of UNSCRs by the entire international community, including China and Russia, and concurred that such endeavors back the complete denuclearization of the DPRK.
The ROK and United States agreed to continue strengthening efforts made to date for further modernizing Alliance capabilities and evolving based on science and technology cooperation. The two delegations applauded the progress establishing a Defense Science and Technology Executive Committee under the SCM, and pledged to expedite efforts for practical cooperation under this consultative body within the year. In addition, based on such cooperation, they shared the understanding that areas of cooperation need to be expanded further, including artificial intelligence, autonomous technology, crewed-uncrewed teaming, and next-generation communications. In that vein, both sides consulted on a ROK proposal to hold a joint ROK-U.S. Defense Science and Technology Conference from the year 2025.
The two sides also pledged to continue expanding cooperative measures to enhance the defense industrial base and interoperability of both the United States and the ROK. The delegations agreed that cooperative efforts for a Regional Sustainment Framework being developed by the Defense Department would strengthen posture and capabilities of the Alliance. As such, they highly appreciated a ROK's participation in the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) pilot project, in an area of Air Force's aviation maintenance, and pledged to continue discussions for expanding cooperation into the Army aviation and naval vessels. The two sides also welcomed the recent U.S. Navy contract with ROK shipyards for the conduct of MRO for U.S. vessels. In addition, both sides recognized the need to provide reciprocal market access to deepen defense cooperation and enhance supply chain resiliency, and pledged to advance progress on a Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement (RDP-A).
Both sides commended the work of the Space Cooperation Working Group (SCWG), including ROK's participation in the Joint Commercial Operations (JCO) led by the U.S. Space Force. They emphasized that such cooperation contributes to enhancing interoperability and information sharing for space domain awareness of the Alliance and strengthens joint response capabilities against increasing space threats. Furthermore, the two sides welcomed the work of the Cyber Cooperation Working Group (CCWG), including the Cyber Alliance and Cyber Flag exercise.
The two sides reviewed the progress on the Conditions-based OPCON Transition Plan (COTP) agreed upon by the ROK and the United States through Conditions-based OPCON Transition Working Group (COTWG). They exchanged views on this year's bilateral evaluation on the capabilities and systems required for OPCON transition, pledged to pursue OPCON transition in a systematic and stable manner, and reaffirmed the two nations' commitment to strengthening combined defense posture of the Alliance.
DEPMIN Cho and DASD Lee also reviewed the regional and global security environments and pledged to deepen cooperation with like-minded countries to achieve shared security goals. They acknowledged that the 2nd ROK-UNC Member States Defense Ministerial Meeting, which was held in Seoul in early September reaffirmed the commitment and resolve of the UNC Member States to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. They reviewed the work of the Regional Cooperation Working Group (RCWG) aimed at enhancing peace and stability in the region, and pledged to strengthen cooperative efforts based on the respective Indo-Pacific strategy of both countries. In that vein, they closely discussed measures for regional cooperation to pursue expanded cooperation with the ASEAN members and Pacific Islands Countries, and agreed to report the outcomes of the discussions at the 56th SCM.
In addition, both sides concurred that ROK-U.S.-Japan security cooperation should continue to be strengthened to achieve shared security goals on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region. They pledged to intensify cooperation to respond to regional security landscape based on the Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework (TSCF), including high-level policy consultations, information sharing, and trilateral multi-domain exercises. To this end, the two sides resolved to continue efforts for the implementation of cooperative tasks agreed through the Defense Trilateral Talks (DTT) held in early September.
DEPMIN Cho and DASD Lee agreed that the 25th KIDD reaffirmed a robust solidarity of the ROK-U.S. Alliance and provided guidance to strengthen the Alliance's cooperation in accordance with the Defense Vision of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. Based on these outcomes of the Alliance's cooperation, the two sides pledged to continue efforts to achieve meaningful progress at the 56th SCM, to be hosted in late 2024.
On the occasion of this meeting, both sides visited a General Outpost along the central front, reviewing increasing DPRK military activities in the vicinity of the border region and assessing our response. They expressed appreciation to service members of the ROK and the U.S. for maintaining an overwhelming combined defense posture to respond to any DPRK provocations.