Seoul (South Korea), Nov 3 (LaPresse) – U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, kicking off a two-day visit to South Korea for security talks. Hegseth and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back were briefed by military officials at Observation Post Ouellette, a site near the military demarcation line previously visited by U.S. Presidents, including Donald Trump during his first term in 2019, to observe the border with North Korea and meet with U.S. soldiers. Hegseth and Ahn also visited the border village of Panmunjom, where the armistice that ended the Korean War of 1950-53 was signed. Ahn's ministry emphasized that the visit "reaffirmed the firm stance of joint defense and close coordination" between the allies. Hegseth and Ahn, who had already met on Saturday during a defense ministers' meeting in Malaysia, will participate in the annual allied defense talks in Seoul tomorrow.
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