Seoul: South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back convened with his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, to explore avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the defense and arms sector.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the two nations.

During their discussion, Ahn expressed gratitude to the Philippines for its participation in the 1950-53 Korean War as the first Asian nation to do so and its ongoing role as a member of the U.N. Command. Both ministers committed to expanding defense cooperation under the strategic partnership established last year. They acknowledged the contributions of leading South Korean firms to the Philippines' military modernization projects, which have bolstered the country's defense capabilities.

In a separate engagement, Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee met with Turkish Vice Defense Minister Musa Heybet to discuss enhancing cooperation in military training, intelligence sharing, high-level exchanges, and technology. Lee sought Turkey's support in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula and achieving denuclearization in the North.

Additionally, Lee engaged in a summit with Finnish Vice Defense Minister Esa Pulkkinen. The two vice ministers agreed to enhance collaboration in defense science and technology and the arms industry, noting the increased exports of South Korean K9 self-propelled howitzers to Finland since 2017.