[SUMMIT] Lee pledges higher defense spending, signals future-oriented alliance

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Lee Jae Myung announced the government’s intention to raise the nation’s defense spending, aiming not only to reinforce the military but also to steer the South Korea–U.S. alliance toward a more future-oriented framework. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a prominent policy think tank in Washington, D.C., Monday (local time), Lee emphasized that South Korea would assume a more proactive role in maintaining security on the Korean Peninsula. “First, we will increase our defense budget. The additional resources will be used to acquire advanced technologies and assets to build a smart, strong military capable of prevailing in the wars of the 21st century,” the president stressed. Lee also referred to his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier in the day, noting their shared commitment to modernizing the alliance in response to evolving security challenges. “President Trump and I agreed (during the summit) to update the [South] Korea-U.S. alliance so that it becomes more reciprocal and forward-looking," LWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times