An annual multilateral security forum hosted by the defense ministry opened in Seoul for three days on Tuesday.

The Seoul Defense Dialogue, marking its 12th year, is aimed at promoting and contributing toward peace on the Korean Peninsula and security cooperation in the region.

This year's forum is unfolding amid the protracted war in Ukraine, strategic competition among major economies, the climate crisis, and the recent start of the war between Israel and the Palestinian military group Hamas.

Over 800 figures from 56 countries and two international agencies, including ministerial-level officials from Australia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Brunei and Fiji, are set to attend the conference.

Vice defense minister Shin Beom-chul will hold separate talks with his Japanese counterpart Kiyoshi Serizawa in the two sides' first meeting of vice defense ministers since last September.

Ahead of the opening ceremony on Wednesday, forums on both cyber and space security highlighting the need for global cooperation will be held on Tuesday afternoon.