A file picture shows Defense Minister Song Young-moo. [Yonhap News Photo]
SEOUL -- South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo will visit Singapore this week to participate in a regional security conference that will probably come ahead of a historic summit between North Korean and U.S. leaders on removing nuclear threats on the Korean peninsula.
The 17th Asia Security Summit in Singapore is the largest in Asia to discuss security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. The three-day meeting, which starts on Friday, was launched in 2002 by the Singaporean government and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank.
The annual security forum involving military chiefs from over 30 countries serves as a vehicle to build a sense of community among important policymakers and provides an opportunity for public policy discussions on enhancing defense in the Asia-Pacific region. The conference has also been attended by legislators, academic experts, distinguished journalists and business delegates.
Much attention from the world is expected to be drawn to the security conference as it takes place ahead of a potential summit between U.S President Donald Trump and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un. Both sides are now locked in a series of negotiations to fix an agenda.
At the forum, Song will deliver a speech on efforts to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, his office said, adding the minister would hold bilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and military chiefs from other countries. After attending the forum, Song will visit Vietnam for talks with his counterpart Ngo Xuan Lich.
This story was contributed by Jazin Wee, an editorial assistant.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
