US Defense, “Chinese check” from first call with Seowook… The announcement line was removed from the Ministry of Defense.

On the 24th, Defense Minister Seo Wook made a phone call with Defense Minister Lloyd Austin, the first chief of defense in the Biden administration of the United States. Austin’s approval proposal was passed 93-2 by the US Senate on the 22nd (local time). The Ministry of Defense explained that the two ministers were able to meet by phone at the request of the United States within one day after he took office.

Defense Minister Seo-wook talking on the phone. [국방부]

Secretary Seo congratulated Austin for his inauguration as the first black defense minister, and noted that he was the best person to perform well. The Ministry of Defense said that the Minister and the Minister of Defense agreed to work together to ensure that the ROK-US alliance continues to develop into a mutually complementary and future-oriented alliance, and meet in person in the near future to have in-depth conversations on various issues.

However, the US press release had several more contents that were not included in the Korean press release. The US Department of Defense announced that the Secretary of State Austin has emphasized the US commitment to extended deterrent along with the ROK-US combined defense posture. Expansion deterrence refers to the US nuclear umbrella policy in which the US counterattacks with nuclear weapons if North Korea attacks South Korea with nuclear weapons.

In addition, according to the US Department of Defense, the Minister and the Secretary affirmed the importance of maintaining a’rules-based international order’. On the other hand, the Ministry of Defense has removed expansion deterrence and rule-based international order from the announcement.

New U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is on his way to the Pentagon (U.S. Department of Defense) after the 22nd (local time) Senate approves a proposal to ratify assets. [AFP=연합]

“International order based on rules is a concept that first emerged during the Obama administration,” said Park Won-gon, professor of International Area Studies at Handong University. “It means an international order led by the United States. It is the logic of being side by side.” This is the background of the interpretation that the Ministry of Defense intentionally removed it, conscious of China.

It was a place where Secretary Seo and Austin exchanged virtues, but it is an observation that there are already signs of a statue dream.

Reporter Lee Cheol-jae, Washington = Correspondent Park Hyun-young [email protected]