Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back delivers a speech to a plenary session of the Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore, Saturday, in this photo provided by the defense ministry. Yonhap
SINGAPORE — At a key defense forum in Singapore, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has highlighted South Korea's efforts to strengthen its "self-reliant" defense capabilities amid growing North Korean threats and a volatile security environment shaped in part by the Middle East tensions.
Attending the three-day Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, Ahn also stressed that these efforts are being pursued alongside the country's strong commitment to strengthening its alliance with the United States.
In his speech during a plenary session Saturday, Ahn cited the North's military buildup and its closer alignment with Russia as a "key variable" in global security, emphasizing that the security on the Korean Peninsula is increasingly linked to the security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
"The Republic of Korea will continue its efforts to strengthen self-reliant defense capabilities in tandem with enhancing the alliance (with the United States)," Ahn said in his speech, calling South Korea by its official name.
