US and SKorean defense heads reaffirm alliance

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin welcomed his South Korean counterpart, National Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup to the Pentagon for bilateral talks centered on reaffirming the "ironclad" commitment to the U.S.-ROK Alliance and the defense of South Korea.

The two ministers emphasized the importance of close cooperation and they also discussed a broad range of Alliance issues and exchanged views on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region. They agreed to focus on strengthening the readiness and interoperability of Alliance combined forces. Secretary Austin stressed that the United States stands firm, with the full range of U.S. capabilities, in its extended deterrence commitment to South Korea.