S. Korea, Slovakia hold defense ministerial talks on bilateral cooperation

The defense chiefs of South Korea and Slovakia held talks in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss bilateral defense cooperation and regional security.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup met with his Slovakian counterpart, Jaroslav Nad, as the latter came here to attend DX Korea 2022, an ongoing biennial international defense exhibition in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, according to Lee’s ministry.

At the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation and agreed to expand their collaboration to cover new areas, such as cybersecurity and climate change.

They also agreed to seek the signing of a separate MOU on logistics and arms industry cooperation between the two countries.

Lee also used the meeting to express his gratitude to the Slovakian government for its support for Seoul’s efforts to achieve North Korea’s denuclearization and establish lasting peace on the divided peninsula.

The two ministers also pointed out that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a “clear” violation of international law and exchanged opinions on ways for the two countries to contribute to the efforts to help Ukraine restore its “sovereignty and territory.”