SEOUL — Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, visited the Republic of Korea (ROK) from Oct. 8-11 to meet with senior Korean military and government officials, future Korean military officers, and visit various locations throughout the peninsula.

During the trip, Paparo met with ROK Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun, ROK Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Kim Myung-soo, ROK Second Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Kim Kyung-cheol, and U.S. Ambassador to the ROK Philip Goldberg. Throughout the trip, Paparo was accompanied by U.S. Forces Korea Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. David Iverson.

Paparo's discussions with his ROK partners centered on deepening the U.S.-ROK relationship through robust mil-to-mil and regional security efforts. They emphasized the U.S. commitment to the Washington Declaration, underscoring a strong, shared commitment to extended deterrence. Paparo pledged to strengthen coordination and cooperation between the two countries to deter growing threats in the region. They also addressed combined training events to bolster alliance readiness and strengthen the growing trilateral cooperation between the United States, ROK, and Japan as demonstrated during the most recent iteration of Ulchi Freedom Shield and the upcoming Freedom Edge Exercise.

Paparo’s visit featured tours of Osan and Kunsan Air Bases, which serve as critical hubs for air operations in the region. He also visited the Korean Joint Security Area within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with the United Nations Command Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. John Weidner.

In a solemn ceremony, Paparo laid a wreath at the Cheonan Memorial, honoring the 46 sailors and a navy diver who lost their lives when the ROKS Cheonan sunk on March 26, 2010.

Paparo also participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial of Korea with Baek Seung-joo, War Memorial president. Located in Yongsan-dong, Seoul, the War Memorial of Korea is a significant site dedicated to the military history of Korea, serving as a poignant reminder of the enduring U.S.-ROK military partnership and the commitment to peace and stability in the region.

During a visit to the Korea Military Academy (KMA), the ROK’s leading institution for training future military leaders, Paparo met with cadets to discuss leadership, the importance of the U.S.-ROK Alliance, and current security challenges in the region.

Paparo also visited the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), a government-funded research institute addressing a wide range of defense policy issues, where he met with KIDA President, retired ROK Lt. Gen. Kim Jung-Soo, and other policy experts to discuss extended deterrence, the U.S.-ROK Alliance, and trilateral cooperation.

USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression, and, when necessary, fighting to win.