Defense chief meets British ambassador to discuss bilateral cooperation

▲ South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup (L) and Britain's Ambassador to South Korea Colin James Crooks pose for a photo as they meet for talks at the defense ministry in Seoul on July 11, 2022, in this photo provided by Lee's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

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Defense chief meets British ambassador to discuss bilateral cooperation

SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup held talks with the top British envoy in Seoul on Monday to discuss bilateral defense cooperation and regional security, Lee's office said.

Lee and Ambassador Colin James Crooks agreed on the need for the faithful implementation of the defense segment of the "bilateral framework for closer cooperation" that President Yoon Suk-yeol and his British counterpart, Boris Johnson, adopted late last month.

The minister agreed that the two countries need to work together to activate regular defense dialogue channels on the back of their plan to hold the inaugural session of their vice ministerial defense strategic dialogue in London on July 18.

He also called for the expansion of security cooperation in cyberspace and outer space and asked Britain to continue to support South Korea's efforts for the denuclearization of North Korea and the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Crooks said that Britain, permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, will continue to support Seoul's role for peace and stability on the peninsula, according to the ministry.

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