(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lim Hyeong-seop and Hwang Yun-gi = On the 26th, National Security Office Director Wi Seong-rak said about the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries' recent decision to increase their defense budgets,"That is a trend, and we have a similar order."

The National Security Director met with reporters that day and said,"As you know, NATO has decided to increase its defense spending to 5% (of GDP) by 2035."

He said,"Regarding the defense cost issue, the U.S. is making similar demands to its allies as it did to NATO, and such discussions are taking place among working-level officials," adding,"We need to decide how we will respond."

However, the National Security Director said,"It will be discussed in future security-related consultations, and we will have to wait and see how the consultations progress," and explained,"There has been no discussion of what to do specifically (with the U.S.). We just talked about finding common ground flexibly on the negotiation track and preparing for the (South Korea-U.S.) summit."

Director of National Security Office Wi, who recently returned from attending the NATO summit, also announced that during this visit, he reached an agreement with NATO to establish a 'ROK-NATO Director-General-level Defense Industry Consultative Body.'

The National Security Advisor emphasized,"As NATO increases its defense budget to 5%, demand (for the defense industry) is increasing," and "We are one of the few countries with the capacity to meet that demand. We want to have substantive cooperation."

When asked whether U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio could visit Korea around the time of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) ministerial meeting to be held in Malaysia starting next month, the National Security Advisor also responded,"It is possible that U.S. officials could visit Korea on the occasion of the ARF."