South Korean Defense Minister to Attend Singapore Security Forum

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back will depart for Singapore on Friday to attend the Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue. The forum runs through Sunday. Ahn plans to address the plenary session on Saturday, outlining South Korea's defense policy directions amid regional and global challenges, according to defense ministry officials.

Following the speech, Ahn is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. The two sides will discuss the possible resumption of joint maritime search and rescue exercises known as SAREX, which they agreed to restart during January meetings in Japan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the forum. A formal bilateral meeting is considered unlikely because the two officials already met in Washington earlier this month. Additional bilateral meetings are planned with defense counterparts from Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

U.S. House and Senate attending the forum. Ahn is scheduled to return to South Korea on Monday.