Defense Minister Ahn says military will back North Korea-US talks

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Tuesday that North Korea-US talks must happen and that the military would back them with full force.

Ahn made the remarks during the first plenary session of the Seoul Defense Dialogue, held at The Grand Lotte Seoul, in response to a moderator's question about a North Korea-US summit and South Korea's role.

"I strongly hope that dialogue between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will come to fruition, even under difficult circumstances," Ahn said. "Not for anyone's sake in particular, but because of the strong impact it would have on peace on the Korean Peninsula and on the international community."

He added that the military would provide the backing needed for South Korea to serve as a "pacemaker" toward becoming a "peacemaker," as President Lee Jae Myung has described. "Whatever circumstances arise, we will maintain our capabilities and military readiness," he said.

Ahn said North Korea has been carrying out what he called "border fortification" since 2024 — erecting triple-layered wire fences and laying mines — in an unprecedented effort to sever inter-Korean ties. "To resolve the hostility between the two states, I believe North Korea-US dialogue must lead to inter-Korean dialogue," he said.

He said South Korea has been preparing step by step for inter-Korean engagement, including halting and dismantling loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North and resuming the recovery of remains at Baengmagoji. "Through these continued efforts, I again hope North Korea will come to the table," he said.

Ahn said South Korea would continue its diplomatic efforts and peaceful gestures even if North Korea kept building barriers. "All of this is possible only when backed by military strength, so we are always preparing and maintaining every condition and capability," he said.

In his keynote address at the first plenary session, themed "Co-designing a Stable International Order," Ahn called for "strategic restraint" as a foundation for global stability.

"Military buildup alone cannot complete peace," he said. "If channels of military communication are closed and there is no exit from a crisis, even strong military power can heighten the risk of miscalculation and escalation."

"Dialogue without deterrence is fragile, but deterrence without dialogue is dangerous. What we need is stable deterrence," he said. "Strategic restraint is not weakness — it is the highest level of confidence and responsibility that a nation with power can demonstrate."