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| South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, right, and his counterpart Wayne Mapp of New Zealand walk into the ministry in Seoul on April 26 to hold defense talks. |
During the talks, two defense leaders highly praised active defense cooperation of two countries in holding regular defense policy working-level meeting and exchanging high-ranking defense officials. In particular, both agreed to beef up defense partnership as next year marks the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between two countries.
Mapp, who visited South Korea on April 23 to attend a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Gapyeong during the 1950-53 Korean War, has been both defense as well as science and technology minister of New Zealand since November 2008. He also had defense talks with South Korea during Shangri-La Dialogue last June in Singapore and the first ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus last October in Hanoi, Vietnam.
"Through talks between two defense chiefs, we expect two countries will cooperate in dealing with policy toward North Korea and accelerate defense exchanges including arms trade," said a defense official at the ministry.
RoK MoD