Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back says the government will push ahead with its "two-track" approach of reducing military tensions and building trust with North Korea while maintaining strong deterrence and a robust readiness posture.

The minister reaffirmed the position Tuesday in his address for the opening ceremony of the 2025 Seoul Defense Dialogue.

Ahn described the advancement of North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities as a significant challenge to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the global nonproliferation regime.

He stressed that South Korea will continue to strengthen its strategic deterrence, defense, and response capabilities thoroughly, while keeping the door open for dialogue to modernize mechanisms for easing military tensions and managing risks.

The Seoul Defense Dialogue, a multilateral security conference hosted by the South Korean defense ministry, brought together about one thousand officials from 68 countries and international organizations.