Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee delivers opening remarks during a South Korea-US defense and defense industry cooperation conference in Washington on Tuesday. (Defense Ministry) South Korea’s Defense Ministry held an industry conference in Washington on Tuesday to explore broader cooperation with the United States in defense technologies and industrial supply chains.The event marked the first South Korea-US defense and defense industry cooperation conference held in the United States, according to the ministry.The conference, hosted by Seoul’s Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee, was attended by about 120 officials and experts, including Michael Vaccaro, acting principal deputy assistant secretary at the US State Department, and South Korean Ambassador to the US Kang Kyung-wha.The discussions covered practical areas of defense industrial cooperation, including shipbuilding and maintenance, repair and overhaul, as well as advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and manned-unmanned teaming.The first session, held under the theme of defense industry cooperation as a pillar of the South Korea-US alliance, focused on ways to expand practical cooperation between the two countries, including in shipbuilding and MRO.The second session centered on deepening cooperation in advanced technologies, including AI and crewed-uncrewed teaming, as the two allies seek to respond to changes in the future battlefield environment.Participants also discussed the need to expand bilateral defense industry cooperation through the joint development of advanced weapons systems, overseas market entry and supply chain collaboration, the ministry said.“This conference served as a platform for communication aimed at substantially strengthening the South Korea-US alliance and defense industry cooperation,” Lee said. “The alliance can move beyond security cooperation and further advance into a strategic partnership that builds technological innovation and an industrial base together.”Ahead of the conference, Lee also met Monday with South Korean defense companies operating in the US.The meeting, jointly arranged with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, was arranged to receive requests from Korean defense firms operating in the US. Lee pledged swift government action and active support, according to the ministry.The ministry said it plans to continue holding conferences to build a foundation for expanding defense cooperation with key countries.