S. Korea, Norway agree to launch security defense dialogue channel

South Korea and Norway agreed Monday to establish a bilateral security defense dialogue channel to enhance their practical cooperation in the areas of defense and security, South Korea's defense ministry said. Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and his Norwegian counterpart, Bjorn Arild Gram, reached the agreement to launch the director-general level consultative body during their meeting in Seoul earlier in the day, according to the ministry. Norway has acquired South Korean arms systems in the past decade, purchasing 28 K-9 self-propelled howitzers and 14 K-10 ammunition resupply vehicles manufactured by South Korean defense firm Hanwha Aerospace in 2017 and 2022, respectively. During the meeting, the defense chiefs concurred on the growing security connectivity between Asia and Europe in the face of Russia and North Korea's deepening military cooperation, and agreed to cement their bilateral defense cooperation based on shared universal values, the ministry said. Shin condemned North Korea's continued prov ocations, including its launch of missiles and trash balloons, and requested Norway's support for Seoul's security policy. He also underscored Oslo's provision of medical support during the 1950-53 Korean War and thanked the country for its contribution to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, it added. Source: Yonhap News Agency