Ahn Gyu-back Joins Global Defense Leaders at Shangri-La Summit

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back will travel to Singapore this week to participate in the prestigious Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual gathering that draws top security officials from more than forty nations. The visit is intended to reinforce South Korea’s role in shaping responses to emerging threats across the Indo-Pacific region. Ahn is expected to speak at a plenary session on how Seoul is adapting its defense policies to rapid geopolitical shifts. Separate meetings are lined up with his Japanese, Australian, Norwegian, Filipino, and Thai counterparts to explore expanded joint exercises, intelligence sharing, and arms cooperation. U.S. lawmakers attending the summit will also sit down with the Korean minister to discuss trilateral security arrangements involving Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo. The forum, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has long served as a venue for candid exchanges on maritime security, cyber defense, and supply-chain resilience. By attending the dialogue, South Korea aims to showcase its growing contributions to collective deterrence while seeking practical partnerships that enhance its own military capabilities.