The foreign ministry and the defense ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Monday to enhance the safety and protection of overseas Koreans, officials said. The MOU, signed by Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong and Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, is symbolically significant as it represents the systematic cooperation between the two ministries, which are responsible for ensuring the safety of our citizens' daily lives abroad, the foreign ministry said. "With geopolitical tensions and political instability causing frequent crises overseas, the cooperation between our two ministries to ensure the safety of our citizens is more crucial than ever," Cho said during a signing ceremony. The MOU also specifies practical cooperation measures, such as the installation of a hotline between the two ministries. "The mission of our military to protect the lives and safety of our citizens knows no borders, and cooperation between our two ministries for successful mission execution is not optional but essential," Shin said. The government's response capabilities to ensure the safety of our citizens during overseas incidents will be further enhanced due to the solidified close cooperation system between the two ministries, officials said. Source: Yonhap News Agency