1. The 55th United States (U.S.)-Republic of Korea (ROK) Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) was held in Seoul, ROK, on November 13, 2023. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and ROK Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik led their respective delegations, which included senior defense and foreign affairs officials. On November 12, 2023, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Q. Brown Jr., and ROK Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Kim Seung-Kyum, presided over the 48th ROK-U.S. Military Committee Meeting (MCM).

2. The Secretary and the Minister reaffirmed that the U.S.-ROK Alliance is the linchpin of peace, stability, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and beyond based on our shared values including freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. Both sides assessed that these shared values have underpinned the Alliance for the past 70 years and contributed to its position as one of the most dynamic and premier alliances in the world. In particular, the two leaders reaffirmed the shared vision of "developing into a global comprehensive strategic Alliance" as stated in the historic April 2023 "Joint Statement in Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Alliance between the United States of America and the Republic of Korea," which was adopted by the presidents of the two countries. They emphasized that the Alliance will jointly respond to threats and challenges by promoting wide-ranging cooperation, deepening regional...

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