Top security adviser attends NATO summit on behalf of Lee

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (left) talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Hague, the Netherlands on June 24, 2025. Yonhap

SEOUL, June 26 (AJP) - National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac met with a slew of heads of state and government officials on the sidelines of the NATO summit which kicked off in the Hague, the Netherlands early this week.

Wi, who is attending the two-day summit on behalf of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, held a series of talks with key figures and participants including NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio.

According to the presidential office here on Thursday, Wi delivered a personal letter from Lee during a meeting with Rutte, seeking understanding for the president's absence due to a backlog of domestic affairs since taking office early this month.

But Wi pledged Seoul's commitment to addressing "complex global challenges" through cooperation with the European political and military alliance, "which shares the values of democracy and peace."

Wi also discussed "various pending issues" with Rubio and agreed to hold a summit between the leaders of the two allies "as early as possible."

Meanwhile, NATO allies agreed to increase defense spending to 5 percent of their GDP by 2035. Of the expenditures, at least 3.5 percent will be allocated "to resource core defense requirements," while the remainder will cover related spending including critical infrastructure, networks, and civil preparedness.

According to a joint declaration released the previous day, the participants at the gathering agreed to boost defense spending, as they feed the need to be "united in the face of profound security threats and challenges, in particular the long-term threat posed by Russia to Euro-Atlantic security and the persistent threat of terrorism."

With the latest agreement among NATO allies, Washington is even more likely to seek renegotiation of its defense cost-sharing deal with South Korea to hike the upkeep of maintaining some 28,500 U.S. troops here.

Im Yoon-seo lyseo0330@ajupress.com

Top security adviser attends NATO summit on behalf of Lee

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