Defense leaders from South Korea, the United States and Japan meet in Singapore amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula due to signs that North Korea's seventh nuclear test is imminent.



Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop will attend the 19th Asian Security Conference ('Shangri-La Dialogue') to be held in Singapore for three days starting the day after tomorrow (10th).



It is said that they have prepared an agenda and message in case North Korea conducts its 7th nuclear test during this meeting.



The meeting will also be attended by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and a trilateral defense ministers meeting is also scheduled to be held.



In particular, as the agenda of the Korea-US-Japan trilateral talks includes 'plans to promote security cooperation', there is also a possibility that the United States or Japan will discuss the issue of the trilateral joint exercise.



Two major agendas are set at the ROK-US bilateral talks: the evaluation of the North Korean situation and the direction to respond to the North Korean threat.



Minister Lee Jong-seop also plans to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe.



Although it is not included in the agenda under discussion, it is known that Minister Lee Jong-seop is preparing for the possibility that China may bring up the THAAD (high-altitude missile defense system) issue.



The bilateral talks between the defense ministers of South Korea and Japan are not being held because they are not being pursued.



In particular, this meeting is highly likely to become a 'Russia burial ground' with the participation of NATO and Ukraine.



The Asian Security Conference is a multilateral security conference held annually in Singapore since 2002 under the auspices of the British Institute for International Strategic Issues (IISS).



This year's conference will also be attended by 40 countries including South Korea, the United States, Japan, China, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as the NATO military chairperson and the Ukraine Vice Foreign Minister.



(Photo = National Assembly Photo Reporters, Yonhap News)