South Korea on Tuesday hosted a defense ministerial meeting with member states of the U.N. Command (UNC) to discuss ways to strengthen security cooperation in the face of growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and his Canadian counterpart, Bill Blair, co-hosted the gathering, joined by representatives from 16 other countries under the U.S.-led command, which sent troops or provided medical aid for South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War.

It marked the second meeting of its kind after last year’s inaugural session.

In his opening remarks, Kim described the UNC as one of the three “key axes” protecting South Korea, along with his country’s military and its alliance with the United States.

“I hope today’s meeting will become an opportunity to send a strong message of warning to North Korea and a message of firm solidarity with countries that share common values,” Kim said.

Participants in the meeting are expected to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation betw
een South Korea and the UNC member states to deter war and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul’s defense ministry.

The multinational force, which currently oversees the armistice of the Korean War, was established in July 1950 under a U.N. mandate to support South Korea against North Korea’s aggression.

South Korea, which is not a UNC member but serves as its host country, has recently stepped up efforts to bolster ties with the command amid Pyongyang’s continued weapons development push, highlighted by its launch of 37 ballistic missiles this year.

North Korea has long called for dissolving the command, labeling it as a U.S.-led “illegal” mechanism.

Last month, the North’s foreign ministry accused Washington of trying to create an Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization when Germany joined the command as its newest member.

The current 18 UNC members also include Australia, Belgium, Britain, Colombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nor
way, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey. South Africa did not attend this year’s event.

Source: Yonhap News Agency