Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back pushed back against U.S. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll’s assertion that U.S. forces in Korea are tasked with countering threats from both China and North Korea, stating that he cannot concur with that assessment.
During a National Assembly Defense Committee hearing on Monday at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Minister Ahn emphasized that the bolstering of U.S. forces in Korea is specifically aimed at strengthening deterrence against North Korea. It is not considering any broader objectives at this time.
He further explained that while herecognizes that the U.S. believes allies should collectively address various challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, South Korea’s primary focus must remain on countering North Korean threats on the peninsula. That is the top priority.
Regarding North Korea’s recent unveiling of the new Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during the 80th anniversary parade of the Workers’ Party of Korea on October 10, Ahn cautioned that it’s premature to make definitive assessments about its performance and capabilities at this stage.
When questioned about the possibility of North Korea acquiring enhanced submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) capabilities through increased cooperation with Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict, the minister declined to comment publicly. However, he noted that it appears that North Korea is indeed receiving various forms of technological assistance from Russia.