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| Lee Jong-sup, defense minister nominee / Yonhap |
South Korea's defense minister nominee on Wednesday vowed efforts to cement "cohesion" in the country's alliance with the United States and sharpen deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
During a parliamentary confirmation hearing, Lee Jong-sup, a former three-star Army general, highlighted his vision of a "robust national defense and sturdy military based on science and technology" to respond proactively to "threats from all directions."
His nomination came amid tensions caused by a series of North Korea's ballistic missile launches and concerns over the possibility of it carrying out a nuclear test or other provocative acts.
"(I) will increase cohesion in the South Korea-U.S. military alliance and expand mutually beneficial defense cooperation with the friendly nation," he said. "(I) will strengthen the enforceability of the tailored deterrence strategy and expand areas of cooperation between the South and the U.S., including defense science and technology."
Lee was apparently referring to the allies' deterrence strategy tailored specifically to address evolving North Korean nuclear and missile threats.
Characterizing North Korean missile launches earlier this year as "provocations," the nominee stressed his focus on developing the South's deterrence capabilities and vowed to "sternly" respond to the North's nuclear and missile threats.
Lee also underscored his commitment to helping nurture the nation's defense sector as a "national strategic high-tech industry." (Yonhap)
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