South Korea said Sunday it has agreed to intensify military cooperation with New Zealand, especially on North Korea.
The agreement came at a meeting between Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his New Zealand counterpart Mark Mitchell held on the sidelines of the 16th Asia Security Summit here.
South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo (right) shakes hands with his New Zealand counterpart Mark Mitchell in Singapore talks on June 4, 2017, in this photo provided by Han's ministry. (Yonhap)
The minsters were of the same opinion that the North's nuclear tests and missile launches pose a "direct threat" to the world beyond the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's defense ministry.
They strongly denounced Pyongyang for its continued ballistic missile firing.
"In addition, the ministers agreed to cooperate closely with the international community for the thorough implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions," said the ministry.
Wellington has often joined combined South Korea-US defense drills and also held separate joint training with Seoul's armed forces.
Han requested Mitchell's support for South Korean defense firms to participate in ongoing projects to modernize the island nation's military.
He also asked New Zealand to be part of the 6th Seoul Defense Dialogue, a vice defense-ministerial forum to open in Seoul in September. (Yonhap)