Key facts
- South Korea's push for independent defense capabilities aligns with strengthening its alliance with the U.S., according to DP leader Kim Min-seok.
- Kim stated this during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel.
- Kim previously emphasized strengthening independent security capabilities, stating reliance solely on Washington is over.
- Ambassador Steel highlighted South Korea's global role and expressed hope to work with Kim to strengthen the alliance.
- Opposition leader Jang Dong-hyeok also met with Steel, advocating for an alliance upgrade and stronger security cooperation against North Korea.
SEOUL, Sept. 15, 2026 -- South Korea's pursuit of enhanced independent defense capabilities is compatible with deepening its alliance with the United States, according to Kim Min-seok, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP). Kim conveyed this message during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel at the National Assembly.
Kim emphasized the enduring strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, noting the U.S.'s historical support for South Korea's modernization, industrialization, and democratization. He asserted that South Korea's development of its own capabilities does not contradict the strengthening of the alliance. Earlier, Kim had stressed the necessity for Seoul to bolster its independent security, suggesting that the era of exclusive reliance on Washington has concluded.
Ambassador Steel acknowledged South Korea's significant global role in fostering regional and worldwide peace and prosperity. She expressed a desire to collaborate with Kim and the DP to reinforce the bilateral alliance and expand South Korea's international engagement.
In a separate meeting, Steel conferred with Jang Dong-hyeok, the leader of the primary opposition People Power Party (PPP). Jang advocated for an upgrade to the alliance, citing the evolving global landscape and the alliance's 73rd anniversary. He also called for intensified security cooperation to address escalating threats from North Korea, referencing Pyongyang's troop deployments to Russia and its nuclear weapons development. Steel encouraged the PPP's continued support for strengthening the alliance.