government will make the utmost effort to closely cooperate with neighboring countries and the international community to pave the way for North Korea to abandon its nuclear program and make the right choice. It is also committed to achieving the normalization and stable development of inter-Korean relations and aims to bring reunification to the Korean Peninsula tionally. Third, the ROK government seeks to bolster national security by promoting cooperation in Northeast Asia and contributing to world peace and prosperity. Initially it seeks to build trust among the various nations in the Northeast Asian region through dialogue and cooperation. Moreover, it is pursuing to expand on the synergy generated by coexistence and reconciliation. The government will encourage cooperation among Eurasian nations and advance toward peace, stability and shared prosperity in the wider region that encompasses Asia and Europe. 2. Tenets of the national security strategy To successfully carry out the task of establishing a foundation for peaceful reunification, a set of three strategies to be implemented in the fields of defense, reunification, and foreign affairs have been selected: “Establishing a robust security posture,” “pursuing a trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula,” and “promoting trust-based diplomacy.” First, strong national security is the basis for the very existence of a nation, improved inter-Korean relations, and enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula. The ROK government will also further strengthen a thorough reponse posture to deter provocations by North Korea and resolutely retaliate to any provocation by North Korea. The government will also be equipped with the capability to effectively take measures against North Korean nuclear and missile threats while further reinforcing the ROK-U.S. combined readiness posture to achieve sufficient deterrence capabilities against Pyongyang. Any transnational threats such as terrorism, cyber-attacks, pandemics, and national disasters, as well as current and future threats, will be addressed proactively and preemptively. In order to meet these security challenges, the government will expand security cooperation by strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations through the development of the ROK-U.S. Alliance and strategic cooperation with neighboring countries. Second, through the trust-building process on the Korean peninsula, the ROK government intends to induce changes in North Korea, normalize and promote the development of inter-Korean relations as well as achieve sustainable peace. The government will cooperate with regional neighbors to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, bring peace to the Korean Peninsula and shape conditions for reunification. By adopting a reunification policy supported Section 1 National Security Strategy 39 Chapter 2 by building up resolve, support and readiness for reunification both domestically and interna-