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FACT SHEET: Republic of Korea State Visit to the United   States

President Biden of the United States welcomed President Yoon of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on April 26, 2023, for a State Visit to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. The two presidents reaffirmed their ironclad commitment to what has become a global alliance focused on deepening defense and security ties, expanding economic, commercial, and environmental cooperation, increasing digital and technology collaboration—including in the space sector—and broadening development assistance, educational exchanges, and people-to-people ties.  This fact sheet provides an overview of political understandings that were affirmed or reaffirmed during the State Visit, as well as plans for further cooperative activities between the United States and the ROK. DEFENSE AND GLOBAL SECURITY COOPERATION President Biden and President Yoon affirmed their strong, shared commitment to the defense of the people and territories of the United States and the ROK, including through deepening extended deterrence.

• Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG): The United States and the ROK launched an NCG to discuss how to plan for nuclear contingencies and cooperate on the Alliance’s approach to nuclear deterrence, given the growing threat posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The NCG will convene at the assistant secretary level.
• Strengthening the International Nonproliferation Regime: The United States and the ROK reaffirmed their enduring commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as the cornerstone for the international nonproliferation regime and the foundation for nuclear disarmament and peaceful uses.
• More Visible U.S. Strategic Asset Deployments: The United States committed to enhancing the deployment of U.S. strategic assets in and around the Korean Peninsula, in particular U.S. nuclear-capable platforms. The Alliance is also expanding the scope and scale of joint exercises and maintaining regular, senior-level defense engagements and dialogues to contend with regional threats.
• Closely Connecting ROK Capabilities with Combined Forces Command: The United States and the ROK are working to increase interconnectedness between the ROK’s new and improving strategic capabilities and the Alliance’s combined force structure to enhance joint planning and execution efforts. 
• ROK Education and Training on Nuclear Deterrence: To enhance ROK preparedness for nuclear threat scenarios, the United States welcomes participation by ROK military personnel in Department of Defense courses and trainings, which will focus on how the Alliance approaches nuclear deterrence on the Korean Peninsula, including through conventional-nuclear integration.  
• New Table-Top Exercise and Simulation:  As we improve our ability to plan for and respond to regional threats, the United States and the ROK have developed a new annual interagency and intergovernmental simulation and a separate table-top exercise with U.S. Strategic Command. These will augment similar activities already established in our bilateral engagements.
• Increasing Participation in Defense Exercises: To ensure force readiness and strengthen our joint force posture, the United States and the ROK are expanding field training exercises, including ULCHI FREEDOM SHIELD and WARRIOR SHIELD, to restore a realistic, theater-level combined exercise system. The ROK plans to join trilateral exercises with the United States and Japan as well as multilateral exercises.
• Enhancing Regional Cooperation on Maritime Security and Defense: Regional security cooperation is critical to achieving peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.  The United States and the ROK will use the Regional Cooperation Working Group (RCWG) to enhance lines of effort that increase maritime domain awareness and defense cooperation with other Indo-Pacific partners. 

ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION The United States and the ROK have forged enduring economic ties that reinforce every aspect of our Alliance, from mutual prosperity to commercial investment and from environmental cooperation to stronger cultural connections. President Biden and President Yoon affirmed that the United States and the ROK are committed to advancing economic, commercial, and environmental cooperation.

• Hyundai Motor Group’s $5.4 billion electric vehicle plant in Bryan, Georgia, is under construction and will create 8,100 jobs.
• SK Innovation is working with Ford to invest $11.4 billion on two electric battery parks under construction in Glendale, Kentucky, and Stanton, Tennessee, that will create 11,000 jobs. 
• Samsung Electronics semiconductor manufacturing facility in Taylor, Texas, is under construction and represents an investment of up to $25 billion. 
• Hanwha Q Cells is investing $2.5 billion on the expansion of its solar factories in Dalton, Georgia, which will create 3,000 jobs. 
• Netflix is investing $2.5 billion in Korean content.
• Broader Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF):  The United States and the ROK are working to advance IPEF and achieve high-standard commitments across all four Pillars. For its part, the ROK plans to host an IPEF negotiation round in Busan later this year.
• Expanded Supply Chain Security and Cooperation: The United States is deepening cooperation and engagement with the ROK on economic security measures, including through new working groups in the U.S.-ROK Supply Chain and Commercial Dialogue (SCCD). Through these efforts, the United States and the ROK are increasing cooperation on semiconductor incentive programs, research initiatives, and supply chain risks, as well as strengthening cooperation on export controls.
• Expanded Cooperation for Critical Minerals Supply Chains:  The ROK Government will make available $5.3 billion during the next five years to support ROK critical minerals and battery manufacturing investments in North America.  The United States and the ROK will pursue the establishment of a more resilient supply chain, including by playing leading roles in the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP). 
• Fast-tracking E2 Visas: The United States and the ROK are committed to facilitating timely business travel in support of significant ROK investments in the United States. To ensure a smooth process for ROK investors, the U.S. Embassy in Seoul worked with the ROK government and businesses to improve visa processing procedures, resulting in a significant reduction in E2 investment visa wait times from 87 to 5 days.
• Supporting International Efforts to Counter Russia: The ROK has joined the United States and the international coalition of over 30 countries holding Russia responsible for its war in Ukraine through the imposition of sanctions and export controls.
• Joint Efforts on Green Shipping: To accelerate the de-carbonization of the shipping sector, the two nations committed to sign a joint statement on ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction goals in the International Maritime Organization, support the establishment of the U.S.-ROK Green Shipping Corridor announced by the two countries at the COP27 in 2022, and broaden technological and information sharing cooperation, particularly on green shipping. 
• Enhancing Cooperation on Clean Energy and Decarbonization: The United States and ROK held a ministerial-level meeting under the Energy Policy Dialogue (EPD) to identify priority areas for continued collaboration on economy-wide decarbonization. The EPD aims to advance policy and technical exchanges and reinforces the two nations’ commitment to advancing clean energy goals.

TECHNOLOGY, DIGITAL, AND SPACE COOPERATION Our Alliance is equipped for the 21 st Century, and collaboration between the United States and the ROK has grown to include cybersecurity, critical and emerging technology, and space. We are augmenting our digital cooperation, including by improving collaboration on effective digital and telecommunications policy. We are also on a course to broaden our space cooperation across multiple sectors, including security and defense, commercial investment, and space exploration.

• New Cyber Strategic Framework: The two Presidents announced a new bilateral cybersecurity framework that institutionalizes cooperation on developing organizational culture to enhance the cybersecurity of national security networks, increasing defensive cybersecurity capabilities, and collaborating on cybersecurity capacity-building efforts.
• Launching a Next Generation Critical and Emerging Technologies Dialogue: The United States and the ROK are launching a new interagency technology dialogue, convened annually and led by the two National Security Advisors, to expand partnership in such areas as biotechnology and biomanufacturing, batteries, semiconductors, and digital and quantum technologies.
• Expanding Cooperation in Biotechnology: The United States and the ROK are increasing biotechnology and biomanufacturing cooperation, including through an MOU between the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology that supports U.S. and ROK goals to enhance infrastructure development, workforce and talent capacity, and bioeconomy-related research and development.
• Cooperation in Space Science and Exploration: NASA and the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) signed a joint statement of intent at the Goddard Space Flight Center to explore further cooperation in space science and exploration.  Additionally, NASA, MSIT, and participating agencies intend to conduct a joint study on potential areas of future cooperation to explore the Moon and Mars.
• Strengthening Space- and Cyber-Related Consultations: The United States and the ROK committed to strengthen space and cyber cooperation and improve interoperability through consultative bodies such as the Civil Space Dialogue (CSD), Space Security Dialogue (SSD), Space Cooperation Working Group (SCWG) and Cyber Cooperation Working Group (CCWG).
• Strengthening the Freedom Online Coalition: The ROK is joining the Freedom Online Coalition and U.S. efforts to further strengthen and expand this Coalition dedicated to support Internet freedom and protect human rights online.
• Partnering to Combat Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse: The United States and ROK continue to work together, alongside 10 other countries and a multi-stakeholder advisory group and steering committee, to prioritize, understand, prevent, and address the growing scourge of technology-facilitated gender-based violence through the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse. 

EXPANDING DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, AND PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES President Biden and President Yoon highlighted the remarkable cultural connections between our two nations, and our increasing cooperative focus on development issues around the world.  They shared their intent to further strengthen our combined development work and to knit the American and Korean people even more closely together.

• Supporting Ukraine:  The ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), in close coordination with USAID, plans to contribute to USAID’s Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) for Ukraine.  This is part of the ROK’s pledge of additional assistance of $130 million on top of its $100 million contribution last year.
• Enhancing Development Cooperation: On April 25, USAID and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed a three-year MOU to support personnel exchanges to increase mutual understanding of development cooperation policy and implementation. USAID and KOICA committed to assist with marine litter monitoring systems in the Philippines, and cooperate on the Climate Resilient Cities program.  USAID will also establish a permanent presence at US Embassy Seoul in 2023 to enhance donor collaboration.
• Peace Corps-World Friends Korea MOU Supports Climate Adaption in the Indo-Pacific: Building on the example of Peace Corps volunteers who served in the education and health sectors in the ROK from 1966-1981, the ROK has developed its own overseas volunteering program, World Friends Korea. The organizations have signed an MOU to support climate adaptation and in-country volunteering initiatives with a focus on the Indo-Pacific.
• New Educational Exchange Initiative: The United States and the ROK committed to engage in a new, multi-year, $60 million educational exchange program in the fields of humanities and social sciences as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The program includes the largest-ever Fulbright graduate program focused on STEM research.
• Develop New Executive Training Program on Technology: The United States and the ROK committed to develop a new program focused on training the next generation of leaders to be informed, responsible stewards of critical and emerging technologies, including semiconductors, AI, quantum, and biotechnology. The program is intended for mid-career leaders in the public sector from the United States, ROK, India, United Kingdom, and Germany.
• Increasing Cultural and Language Exchanges: The two Presidents welcomed the renewal of an MOU that will increase the number of each countries’ annual participants in the Work, English Study, Travel program from 2,000 to 2,500.
• Deepening U.S.-ROK Health Cooperation:  The United States and the ROK have renewed an MOU to cooperate on cutting-edge cancer research and exchange information about the safe production of medical products with artificial intelligence. Expanding cooperation between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the ROK Ministry of Health and Welfare includes engagement on global health security, digital health, and universal health coverage.

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In photos: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visits the United States

By Washington Post Staff | Apr 27, 2023

President Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at the White House on Wednesday for a state visit to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the mutual defense treaty that bound together their security interests after the Korean War ended with a cease-fire.

Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post

The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps performs at an arrival ceremony during the state visit.

The Korean American Children’s Choir from the Korean School of New Jersey performs.

Visitors watch Biden and Yoon during the arrival ceremony.

Biden sought to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to South Korea’s security Wednesday, using the state visit to counter the growing nuclear threat from North Korea with more aggressive rhetoric and a set of new deterrence measures.

“A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies or partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of whatever regime to take such an action,” Biden said during a joint news conference in the Rose Garden with Yoon.

The comments came as the United States and South Korea rolled out a joint document called the “Washington Declaration,” initiatives designed to give Seoul more confidence that Washington would respond forcefully in the event of a nuclear strike by Pyongyang.

South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee and first lady Jill Biden attend the ceremony.

Members of the media take photos during the arrival ceremony.

Visitors watch Presidents Biden and Yoon during the arrival ceremony.

The two leaders make their way to the Oval Office.

Yoon and Biden in the Oval Office.

Janine Bera, left, and Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) arrive for the state dinner.

Alex Brandon/AP

Angelina Jolie and Maddox Jolie-Pitt arrive.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and his wife Ann Romney arrive.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre arrives.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his wife Evan Ryan arrive.

Television personalities Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines arrive.

Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman and his mother Chong Freeman arrive.

Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and his mother Jae Kim arrive.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) arrives.

Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg

Snowboarder Chloe Kim arrives.

Meena Harris, Vice President Harris's niece, and Nikolas Ajagu arrive.

Sarah Silbiger/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), right, and Siobhan Steel arrive.

Joe Bae, co-CEO of KKR, and Janice Bae arrive.

Stephen Benjamin, senior adviser to the president for public engagement, and DeAndrea Benjamin arrive.

Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.) and Britainy Beshear arrive.

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee as they arrive for the White House state dinner.

Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post

The Bidens and the South Korean president and first lady walk down the grand staircase in the White House.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at a White House state dinner.

President Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol toast each other during a state dinner at the White House.

Guests look on as Yoon gives a toast to Biden.

Jessica Vosk and Lea Salonga perform.

Susan Walsh/AP

Biden cheers as Yoon sings "American Pie" by Don McLean.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Biden hands Yoon a guitar signed by US singer Don McLean as a gift.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Yoon also delivered a speech Thursday at a joint meeting of Congress , the first South Korean president in a decade to do so.

In a nearly hour-long speech, delivered in English, Yoon praised the “synergy” between the United States and South Korea, called on North Korea to end its nuclear provocations, and warned against the threat disinformation poses to democracies around the world.

Yoon walks with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) through National Statuary Hall prior to addressing a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday.

Matt McClain/The Washington Post

Yoon greets U.S. senators after addressing the joint meeting of Congress.

Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post

Yoon’s address to Congress was part of a formal state visit marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the United States and South Korea.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol waves at the conclusion of his remarks.

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Glitz, glamour and 'American Pie': Memorable moments from South Korean President Yoon's state visit

WASHINGTON – Any 70-year anniversary merits a big celebration.

And when you’re observing a decadeslong friendship between two nations, an ordinary fête just won’t do.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee to the White House for an official state visit on Wednesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the two countries.

The bond between the United States and the Republic of Korea was formed at the end of the Korean War, a conflict that cost more than 54,000 American lives.

“It’s an unbreakable bond, forged in bravery and the sacrifice of our people,” Biden said during a pageantry-filled ceremony on the White House South Lawn.

Yoon said he traveled to Washington to celebrate “with pride, with joy – and with the American people.”

Here are some memorable moments from the South Korean leader’s visit:

A 21-gun salute and Korean tunes for ‘great friends’

State visits by foreign leaders always begin with pomp and circumstance.

On a crisp but sunny morning, the Bidens welcomed the South Korean leader and his spouse to the White House with a formal arrival ceremony in front of nearly 7,000 guests on the South Lawn.

A military band played “Hail to the Chief” as the Bidens walked out of the White House and stood on a red carpet. A few seconds later, a black SUV carrying the guests of honor pulled up the White House driveway.

There was a 21-gun salute, a formal inspection of the troops, and the playing of each country's national anthems. Young children from the Korean-American Children’s Choir in New Jersey performed a traditional South Korean song. A fife and drum corps decked out in long red coats and white pants paraded in front of the stage.

“What a beautiful day to invite great friends back to the White House,” Biden said, celebrating what he called “the ironclad alliance” between the two countries.

That alliance may have been “forged in blood,” Yoon said, speaking through an English translator, but it’s a “just” one that stands for “freedom, peace and prosperity around the world.”

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Honoring American sacrifices in the Korean War

The night before the state visit officially began, the Bidens and their South Korean guests made a quiet pilgrimage to the Korean War Veterans’ Memorial on the National Mall.

The memorial, not far from the Lincoln Memorial, commemorates the sacrifices of the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed services during the three-year Korean War. Some 54,246 Americans were killed in the conflict.

The Bidens and their guests strolled quietly through the memorial, which features 7-foot stainless steel statues of soldiers standing in patches of juniper bushes and polished granite strips symbolizing the rice paddies of Korea. They made no public remarks, but Yoon spoke of the visit during the White House arrival ceremony the next day.

“Why did they sacrifice their lives for this faraway country and for the people they never met?” he asked of the Americans killed in the war. “That was for one noble cause: to defend freedom.”

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Gifts for the South Korean guests

When there’s a state visit, there are usually gifts.

The Bidens presented the South Koreans with a small, handcrafted table by an American furniture maker. Made of mahogany wood and inlaid with historical White House wood, the table was inspired by traditional Korean soban tables. The gift included a vase filled with handmade paper hibiscus and rose flowers by a Korean American artist and a brass plaque to commemorate the state visit.

Biden also gave Yoon a shadow box set with custom and vintage baseball memorabilia. Jill Biden presented Kim with a pendant necklace with a trio of blue sapphires designed by a Korean American designer.

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Nukes, cybersecurity and other serious business

Amid the glitz and the glamour, Biden and Yoon conducted serious business, with bilateral meetings at the White House between the two leaders and other top officials from their delegations.

Biden announced that he is increasing demonstrations of military might in the Indo-Pacific and expanding collaboration with South Korea in hopes of deterring an attack by North Korea. In exchange, Yoon reaffirmed his nation's commitment that it would not develop its own nuclear weapons.

The so-called Washington Declaration is the centerpiece of the new initiatives on cybersecurity, economic investments and more that the leaders rolled out during Yoon’s visit.

A State Dinner with South Korean flair

The main event for every state visit is the dinner, the most coveted diplomatic honor – and one reserved for the U.S.'s closest allies.

Naturally, this one had a decidedly Korean flair .

Some 200 invited guests walked by a screen evoking traditional Korean ink brush painting. Dining tables were decked out with 6-foot-tall centerpieces of blossoming cherry tree boughs intended to suggest Washington's Tidal Basin in the springtime or the streets of Jeju. The menu featured braised beef short ribs – an American take on galbi-jjim – served with butter bean grits, sorghum-glazed carrots and pine nuts.

At the start of the soirée, Biden and Yoon toasted each other. Biden raised a glass "to our partnership, to our people, to possibilities" and added, "May we do it together for another 170 years."

Yoon brought a smile to Biden's face by paying homage to his Irish roots. Speaking through an interpreter, Yoon quoted an old Irish saying that goes: "A good friend is like a four-leaf clover. Hard to find and lucky to have."

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Broadway tunes and 'American Pie'

Broadway performers provided the evening’s entertainment, but Yoon stole the show with an impromptu rendition of “American Pie.”

Singers Lea Salonga, Jessica Vosk and Norm Lewis closed out the dinner with a selection of numbers from Broadway hit shows, including “Funny Girl” and “Les Misérables." For their encore, they chose the Don McLean classic “American Pie” especially for Yoon.

When they finished, Jill Biden pushed Yoon onto the stage. “We know this is one of your favorite songs,” Joe Biden said.

Yoon, still speaking through a translator, confirmed that the song was one of his favorites when he was in school. After a bit of coaxing from Biden, Yoon took the microphone and belted out the first few stanzas – in English. The crowd gave him a standing ovation.

Biden, who said he had no idea Yoon could sing, joked that he was going to tap the South Korean crooner to provide the entertainment for the next state dinner. Then, he surprised Yoon with another gift: A guitar signed by McLean.

Who scored a coveted dinner invitation?

The Bidens and the guests of honor weren’t the evening's only big names. Prominent figures from the world of politics, business and entertainment scored an invitation to the state dinner.

Actress Angelina Jolie, decked out in a white dress, brought her son Maddox. Broadway performer Salonga, one of the night’s entertainers, admitted to being nervous but said the experience “feels like being in a fairytale."

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre twirled for the photographers as she made her entrance. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York showed up in a navy suit instead of the usual formal attire. "This is as tux-ey as I get," he said.

Snowboarder Chloe Kim, an Olympic gold medalist, didn’t wear her medal. “I don’t know where it is,” she admitted. She was nervous, she said, but was looking forward to the dinner. "The food's gonna be really good,” she predicted.

The dinner came a day after Biden announced his reelection bid, adding to the buzz around the dinner for his Democratic guests.

Michael Purzycki, the mayor of Biden's hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, offered to assist with campaigning, "Any way he wants me to."

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.

Contributing: Maureen Groppe, Joey Garrison and Francesca Chambers

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U.S. Embassy & Consulate in the Republic of Korea

FACT SHEET: Republic of Korea State Visit to the United States

President Biden of the United States welcomed President Yoon of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on April 26, 2023, for a State Visit to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. The two presidents reaffirmed their ironclad commitment to what has become a global alliance focused on deepening defense and security ties, expanding economic, commercial, and environmental cooperation, increasing digital and technology collaboration—including in the space sector—and broadening development assistance, educational exchanges, and people-to-people ties.  This fact sheet provides an overview of political understandings that were affirmed or reaffirmed during the State Visit, as well as plans for further cooperative activities between the United States and the ROK.

[ Read the full text: English I  Korean ]

★ Washington Declaration

President Joseph R. Biden of the United States of America and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) met on this 26th day of April, 2023 to mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. The Alliance between our two nations has been forged in shared sacrifice, fortified by enduring security cooperation, and nourished by our close kinship that has enabled both countries to leverage their diplomatic resources to peaceably achieve crucial, strategic outcomes. What began as a security partnership has grown and expanded into a truly global Alliance that champions democratic principles, enriches economic cooperation, and drives technological advancements. Our Alliance has been tested many times, and in every instance we have risen to the occasion and responded to the changing threats on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific.

★  Joint Statement in Commemoration of the U.S.-ROK 70th Anniversary

Today President Joseph R. Biden Jr. of the United States (U.S.) and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) met in Washington to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. This is the second State Visit of the Biden-Harris Administration. While our two nations are inseparably tied by our deep and unwavering security cooperation—reinforced today by the Presidents’ commitments in the Washington Declaration to develop ever-stronger mutual defense and deterrence—the greatest success of the Alliance is its clear and expanding focus on achieving a secure and brighter future for the American and Korean people. Together, we will increase our comprehensive global cooperation, deepen our robust regional engagement, and broaden our ironclad bilateral ties during the next 70 years of our Alliance to face the 21st century’s most difficult challenges head-on. Guided by our shared commitment to defend universal human rights, freedom, and the rule of law, the United States and the ROK are constructing an Alliance that will provide future generations with a firm foundation upon which to build prosperity and security.

[ Read the full text: English I Korean ]

★  Joint Statement from the Presidents of the U.S. and the ROK on the Identification of Medal of Honor Recipient from Korean War

The United States of America and Republic of Korea are honored to announce that Army Corporal Luther H. Story, of Buena Vista, Georgia, killed during the Korean War and missing for 73 years, has been accounted for.

In late August 1950, U.S. forces in Korea were primarily located along the Pusan Perimeter, a defensive formation around the towns of Pusan and Yeongsan, South Korea, along the eastern shore of the Naktong River. On August 31, members of A and B Companies of the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division took the brunt of large-scale attack by the North Korean People’s Army. A member of A Company, Corporal Story displayed conspicuous bravery during intense combat on September 1.

★  Joint Statement of the U.S. and the ROK on Cooperation in Quantum Information Science and Technologies

The following joint statement was released by the Governments of the United States and Republic of Korea on the occasion of a meeting between Dr. Arati Prabhakar, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Chief Science Advisor to President Biden and Dr. Lee Jong-ho, Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technologies for the Republic of Korea.

Begin Text:

The United States of America and the Republic of Korea, building upon their shared values and strong alliance, intend to pursue cooperation in quantum information science and technology (QIST) for the peace and prosperity of the citizens of both countries.

SPEECHES & REMARKS

★  remarks by president biden and president yoon suk yeol of the republic of korea in joint press conference.

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Mr. President, it’s good to see you again, my friend.

We’ve met several times over the last year. And each time, we have deepened our nations’ partnership and for the benefit, I think, of both our peoples. And today is no exception.

Our nations’ relationship is a — has a been a great success story. The alliance formed in war and has flourished in peace.

[ Read the full text: English I Korean I Video ]

★  Remarks by President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea at State Dinner

PRESIDENT BIDEN: Good evening, everyone. Please, have a seat.

Welcome to the White House. Jill and I are honored to have you here tonight to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

And to President Yoon and Mrs. Kim, thank you for making the journey. We’re delighted to have you here.

★ Remarks by Vice President Harris at a State Department Luncheon for President Yoon Suk Yeol and Mrs. Kim Keon Hee of the Republic of Korea

VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: Good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. Good afternoon.

Thank you, Secretary Blinken, Ms. Evan Ryan, for hosting us here at the State Department. And to the members of Congress who are here including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Chairman Menendez — (applause) — and Chairman McCaul, thank you each. (Applause.)

And there are many members of the President’s Cabinet who are here, and I thank you as well, including all of the leaders from the Korean American community and all of those who believe in the importance of strengthening the ties between the United States and South Korea.

★ Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a State Luncheon in Honor of Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk-Yeol

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Please, take a seat. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Please take a seat. Good afternoon, and welcome to the State Department. President Yoon, Mrs. Kim, it is a great pleasure to have you here with us today.

Now, some of you may have heard this and actually seen it, but last night President Yoon – (laughter) – brought down the house at the state dinner – (applause) – singing “American Pie.” So, Mr. President, I want you to know we have two great American musical giants with us here today, Herbie Hancock and Diane Reeves. (Applause.) So if you feel moved to deliver another performance – (laughter) – don’t let the music die, Mr. President. (Laughter.)

[ Read the full text: English ]

★ Remarks by Vice President Harris and ROK President Yoon During a Visit to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: Good afternoon. NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, thank you for welcoming us once again and hosting us. Astronaut Jonny Kim, who was here earlier — Jonny, I want to thank you and all of the Korean American NASA experts and all of the experts who work here for the work you do every day.

President Yoon, welcome to the United States. It is good to see you again. I thank you for the warm welcome you showed me when I was in Seoul. And I welcome you, on behalf of the United States, to Goddard, a place of great pride for us as Americans. And the work that is happening here through NASA is always awe-inspiring for me, and I hope you have enjoyed the tour we’ve had today.

★ Remarks by First Lady Jill Biden at a Media Preview for the State Dinner of the ROK

Welcome everyone! It’s a pleasure to be with you to preview this state dinner.

From my mother, I learned that setting a table can be an act of love. With just fresh flowers and a set of candles, she could turn an ordinary dinner into a magical moment that stayed with us long after the dishes were cleared away. Once I had my own family, I did my best to keep that tradition alive.

NEWS & EVENTS

★ secretary of defense lloyd j. austin iii meets with president of the republic of korea yoon suk yeol.

Today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III welcomed the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Yoon Suk Yeol to the Pentagon to reaffirm the ironclad U.S. commitment to the U.S.-ROK Alliance and to the defense of the ROK. As the United States and ROK mark the 70th anniversary of the Alliance, both leaders celebrated the two countries’ achievements in maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula and the Alliance’s contributions to the security of the Indo-Pacific region.

★ Readout of Vice President Harris’s Engagement with President Yoon on Space Cooperation

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris was joined by President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where they reaffirmed their determination to strengthen U.S.-ROK space cooperation across all sectors – civil, commercial, and national security. They received briefings regarding bilateral cooperation to address the climate crisis as well as space science. Additionally, the Vice President and President Yoon met with Korean-American space experts and discussed their contributions to strengthen the bilateral space partnership.

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-south-korean-president-yoon-opens-u-s-visit-with-spotlight-on-space-mega-deals

WATCH: South Korean President Yoon opens U.S. visit with spotlight on space, mega deals

WASHINGTON (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol opened his state visit to Washington on Tuesday by touring a NASA facility with Vice President Kamala Harris as the Biden administration looks to deepen ties with a close ally that it sees as only growing in importance in an increasingly complicated Indo-Pacific .

Watch the event in the player above.

Before Harris and Yoon’s visit to the Goddard Space Flight Center in suburban Greenbelt, Md., the two countries signed a joint statement on cooperation in space communications and navigation, and received briefings from NASA scientists on cooperative efforts on space exploration and addressing the climate crisis,

“Our alliance is leading on some of the most important and pressing issues of our time,” Harris said in remarks with Yoon by her side at the NASA facility.

Yoon, for his part, recalled his exhilaration as a third-grader watching on television as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped off Apollo 11 to become the first humans to set foot on the moon in 1969. Now, NASA and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute are working together to support future lunar exploration efforts searching for evidence of frost or ice deposits in permanently shadowed lunar regions.

Yoon said that the joint statement the two countries signed “will serve as a springboard for taking space cooperation between our two allies to the next level of a space alliance.”

“The universe holds great promise as the stage where synergies from international solidarity and partnerships can deliver their greatest benefits,” Yoon said.

Even before the formal itinerary for the Washington portion of Yoon’s six-day visit to the United States got under way, South Korean and U.S. companies unveiled a pair of whopper deals.

READ MORE: NASA’s James Webb telescope captures a star on the cusp of death

General Motors and South Korea’s Samsung SDI announced plans on Tuesday to build a $3 billion new electric vehicle battery cell plant in a yet-to-be determined location in United States. That came after Yoon on Monday met with a Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarando, who said the streaming platform would invest $2.5 billion in Korea on programming over the next four years, a reflection of the global appetite for Korean music, movies and television.

“We were able to make this decision because we have great confidence that the Korean creative industry will continue to tell great stories,” Sarando said. “We were also inspired by the president’s love and strong support for the Korean entertainment industry and fueling the Korean wave.”

Later Tuesday, Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, were scheduled to make an evening visit to the Korean War Memorial with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden.

The visit comes just weeks after scores of highly classified documents were leaked that have complicated relations with allies, including South Korea. The papers viewed by The Associated Press indicate that South Korea’s National Security Council “grappled” with the U.S. in early March over an American request to provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

The documents, which cited a signals intelligence report, said then-NSC Director Kim Sung-han suggested the possibility of selling the 330,000 rounds of 155 mm munitions to Poland, since getting the ammunition to Ukraine quickly was the United States’ ultimate goal.

White House officials said that the leak wouldn’t cause lingering tensions but also declined say if the two leaders would discuss South Korea supplying Ukraine with the much-need ammunition.

“We have said many times we are engaging more broadly with our allies and partners that help at high levels to reassure them of our commitment to safeguarding intelligence and, and fidelity to our security, securing partnerships,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. She added that the U.S. commitment to South Korea is “ironclad.”

Biden and Yoon, along with their aides, will hold formal talks on Wednesday at the White House and the two leaders will hold a joint news conference. In the evening, Biden will honor Yoon with a lavish state dinner.

The leaders’ private talks are expected to focus heavily on North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s military and economic assertiveness.

Biden, during the Yoon visit, is also expected to announce specific new nuclear deterrence efforts as well as a new cybersecurity initiative, economic investments and an educational partnership, part of an effort to highlight the breadth and depth of the two countries’ relationship as they mark the 70th anniversary of their alliance.

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South Korea's Yoon to Visit US Next Week for Summit With Biden

South Korea's Yoon to Visit US Next Week for Summit With Biden

FILE PHOTO: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attends an interview with Reuters at the Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea, April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Reuters

By Hyonhee Shin

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will visit the United States next week for a summit with President Joe Biden as the allies grapple for ways to handle the challenge posed by North Korea's growing nuclear and missile arsenal.

Yoon's April 24-29 trip will be the first state visit to the United States by a South Korean leader since 2011 and will mark the 70th anniversary of the countries' alliance.

The two leaders are expected to discuss joint responses to deter North Korea, partnerships to build more stable supply chains and expanding cooperation on chips, batteries and other high-tech areas.

"It will be an opportunity to further solidify the combined defence posture and operate extended deterrence between the two countries in a more concrete manner, while deepening economic security cooperation," deputy national security adviser, Kim Tae-hyo, told a briefing.

Tension has flared on the Korean peninsula since the conservative Yoon took office in May last year, replacing a liberal president who had tried to promote negotiations with North Korea.

North Korea has ramped up the development of weapons, testing its first solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile last week, the latest in a series of tests.

North Korea says it needs its weapons to protect itself from plans by South Korea and the U.S. for "regime change". South Korea and the United States deny any such intention.

Yoon has been pushing to boost South Korea's role in operating what is known as U.S. extended deterrence, the American nuclear umbrella protecting its allies.

Yoon and Biden are also likely to consult on how to support Ukraine, amid mounting Western pressure for South Korea to help it battle Russian forces.

South Korea, a major producer of artillery ammunition, has tried to avoid antagonising Russia, due largely to commercial interests and Russian influence over North Korea, focusing instead on humanitarian and financial aid for Ukraine.

Yoon, in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, signalled for the first time a softening in his position on weapons to Ukraine, saying his government might not "insist only on humanitarian or financial support" in the event of a large-scale attack on civilians or a "situation the international community cannot condone".

Yoon will hold a summit and a joint news conference with Biden on April 26 and deliver a speech to the U.S. Congress on April 27 before travelling to Boston where he is due to speak at the Harvard Kennedy School, Kim said.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters .

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Tags: South Korea , North Korea , United States , Asia

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Biden to Host South Korean President for State Visit in April

The fact that President Yoon Suk Yeol received the second such invitation of the Biden presidency speaks to the degree of cooperation expected from him on issues involving North Korea and China.

By Katie Rogers

WASHINGTON — President Biden will host President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea for a state visit in April, an invitation that signals the country’s importance in the administration’s efforts to counter threats posed by North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s rise.

Mr. Yoon, who is scheduled to travel to Washington on April 26 with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, is only the second leader Mr. Biden has invited for a state visit, which comes complete with the regalia of a state dinner. The first state visit of the Biden administration was with President Emmanuel Macron of France , a trip that reaffirmed America’s oldest alliance.

For all of the tools at an American president’s disposal, a state visit — which usually consists of a daylong diplomatic obstacle course followed by a lavish dinner — allows the White House to celebrate ties with its closest allies using pageantry and tradition.

The fact that Mr. Yoon received the second invitation of the Biden presidency speaks to the degree of cooperation Mr. Biden expects on issues involving North Korea and China. The president traveled to Seoul shortly after Mr. Yoon’s inauguration last year in a visit that the White House said was meant to assure Mr. Yoon that the United States was committed to countering North Korean military threats.

During that visit, the leaders agreed to reinstate joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, a decades-long show of cooperation that was suspended during the Trump administration. (Former President Donald J. Trump said the drills were too costly .)

A conservative former prosecutor, Mr. Yoon, 62, was narrowly elected to the presidency last March. He has been openly critical of his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who arranged high-stakes summits between Mr. Trump and Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader.

“I will pursue predictability, and South Korea will take a more clear position with respect to U.S.-China relations,” he said in an interview with The New York Times last September.

South Korea has also stepped up its military arms production as the United States and other nations find their stockpiles depleted from assisting Ukraine during the yearlong Russian invasion.

The U.S.-South Korea partnership goes beyond military strategy. Seoul has invested billions in American clean-energy and chip-manufacturing efforts, including a $22 billion investment announced by the SK Group conglomerate in July.

And after Mr. Yoon’s election, South Korea joined the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a 14-nation collective seen as a bulwark against China in the race to secure global supply chains. Mr. Yoon also agreed to attend preliminary talks for a technology alliance known as “Chip 4” with the United States, Japan and Taiwan.

In a statement, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said that the visit would “highlight the importance and enduring strength of the ironclad U.S.-ROK alliance as well as the United States’ unwavering commitment to the ROK,” using shorthand for South Korea. “The presidents will discuss our shared resolve to deepen and broaden our political, economic, security and people-to-people ties.”

Mr. Biden and Mr. Yoon have met several times in recent months. In November, when Mr. Biden was on a swing through Cambodia and Indonesia , he met with Mr. Yoon in Phnom Penh, promising “the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities” to deter North Korean threats, according to a White House readout. In September, the two met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, again promising to assure close cooperation in countering North Korea.

Katie Rogers is a White House correspondent, covering life in the Biden administration, Washington culture and domestic policy. She joined The Times in 2014. More about Katie Rogers

South Korea, US presidents to meet in Washington – amid wary glances in the direction of Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow

Professor in Korean Studies, Tufts University

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Sung-Yoon Lee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Tufts University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation US.

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will meet his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden at the White House on April 26, 2023 – a rare state visit that comes as the two nations seek to confront common concerns.

The event is only the second state visit to the U.S. of a foreign head of state during the Biden administration, following a trip by President Emmanuel Macron of France in late 2022. That the White House handed the honor to Yoon, a relative political novice before taking office in May 2022 , may come as a surprise to some foreign policy observers. Seoul does not carry the same clout in international politics as some other U.S. allies. It is an important economic partner but so, too, are Japan, Germany, Canada and Mexico – all of whom rank above South Korea in terms of overall U.S. trade.

Why, then, the pomp and ceremony for Yoon? As a scholar of Korean political history and U.S.-East Asia relations, I believe the answer can be found in three locations on the map and their respective governments: Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow. The White House meeting might well frame the event around the strengthening of ties between Seoul and Washington, but in reality they will want to send a message of unity in the face of saber-rattling – and worse – by North Korea, China and Russia.

A friendship forged in war

Washington and Seoul’s relationship was forged in the bloody crucible of the Korean War of 1950-53 . For several decades, the alliance was lopsided, especially in the lean two decades following the armistice of 1953 when the South Korean subsistence economy was almost totally dependent on U.S. aid . But over the past two decades, South Korea has evened up the ledger, becoming a world leader in electronics , shipping, vehicles, arms and pop culture . The U.S-South Korea alliance has developed into one based as much on economic interests as diplomatic and strategic concerns.

Even the awkward issue of recent reports of alleged U.S. spying on the South Korean presidential office is not likely to dampen the show of friendliness expected on display during the bilateral meeting.

After all, Biden and Yoon have more serious matters to contend with. The state visit follows a year in which North Korea fired nearly 100 missiles into the skies in and around the Korean Peninsula, Russia brazenly invaded Ukraine , and China upped its rhetoric around the disputed island of Taiwan. And each will need addressing in the summit.

North Korean missiles

To South Korea, the threat of the isolationist state to its north is the most existential. Biden will likely underscore the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea against a nuclear-armed North Korea.

But the threat is not confined to imperiling the Korean Peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s intercontinental ballistic missiles now have the capability to hit the U.S. mainland. Such a development may be intended to draw Washington’s attention , but it has another consequence: aligning the existential threat that South Korea faces with that of the United States.

Growing apprehension in South Korea – where more than 70% now favor a domestic nuclear weapons program rather than rely on its powerful ally – means that Yoon will seek U.S. reassurances that go beyond the rhetoric of “ extended deterrence ” and promises of an “ironclad” alliance .

North Korean leader Kim, having told the world last week that he is gearing up to launch a spy satellite into space, has also used the opportunity of Yoon’s U.S. visit to step up the country’s ballistic missiles tests – a reminder to his two main adversaries that he can always make life for them difficult.

China’s regional push

That China and Russia continue to block any move at the U.N. Security Council to punish North Korea over its tests only emboldens Pyongyang.

But the threat posed by North Korea is not the only East Asian security concern for the U.S. or South Korea. The rise of China as an Indo-Pacific force – and a rival to Washington’s and Seoul’s economic and strategic interests – is another likely topic to come up in the White House meeting.

Indeed, Yoon may have foreshadowed U.S. and South Korean thinking on China with comments made to the Reuters news agency just days ago.

“The Taiwan issue is not simply an issue between China and Taiwan, but like the issue of North Korea, it is a global issue,” he said. Yoon may just have been echoing what Biden and he declared at the pair’s first summit in Seoul in May 2022 over the importance of preserving “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an essential element in security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.” But the remark raised the ire of officials in Beijing to howls of protest . And the fact that a South Korean leader should join the U.S. as it ups the rhetoric over Taiwan will likely be welcomed by Washington and, of course, Taipei.

It also comes on the back of efforts by Yoon to make amends with Japan – an erstwhile “friend of a friend” in regards to the U.S., but one with which Seoul has long-festering wounds going back to the Japanese occupation of Korea .

In March, Yoon visited Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – the first official bilateral meeting between the two countries’ leaders in 12 years.

Friendlier terms between Tokyo and Seoul – both democracies – serve Washington’s plans to counter the influence of autocracies in the region, forming a quasi-trilateral alliance structure.

Biden will be hoping to isolate China further through economic means. Yoon will visit Boston during his trip, underscoring the importance of collaboration in the biotech and high-tech industries. It comes as South Korea’s leading microchip producers, including Samsung and SK Hynix, face pressure from the U.S. to curtail their semiconductor business in China. Yoon will be seeking to promote U.S.-Korean joint investment in the semiconductor sector to compensate for the impact from reducing sales to China’s market.

Ukraine’s need for weapons

And then there is the war in Ukraine, which tends to loom over diplomatic matters since Russia’s invasion.

In the past, South Korea has remained largely parochial on security issues, understandably, given the threat it faces on the peninsula. For example, no previous administration has even floated the notion of military support for the U.S. in the event of war in the Taiwan Strait.

Similarly, Seoul has provided only economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, although it is the world’s eighth-biggest exporter of arms. But Yoon’s vision for his nation is that of a “ global pivotal state ” that places freedom, values and international rules-based order at the heart of its foreign policy – and that opens up the possibility of further intervention.

If Biden is able to coax his guest to commit to supply, discreetly, more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, it will prove a win for both Yoon’s vision as well as that of Biden.

State visits are by their nature ceremonial – and 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the United States-Republic of Korea alliance. But as strategic and economic concerns converge, the future relationship between the countries is being redefined by how the two allies confront simultaneously geopolitical concerns on South Korea’s doorstep, the wider region and the world beyond.

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Follow our news, recent searches, south korean president yoon travels to us; security ties top agenda amid north korea tensions, advertisement.

Mr Yoon's high-profile trip will be the first state visit to the US by a South Korean leader since 2011, and will mark the 70th anniversary of the nations’ alliance.

Lim Yun Suk

Nick harper.

Darrelle Ng

SEOUL/WASHINGTON DC: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in the United States on Tuesday (Apr 25), seeking to bolster security and economic ties amid concerns over its increasingly powerful neighbours.

He is due to meet US President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday, where both leaders are expected to discuss countering China’s growing dominance, North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, and the war in Ukraine.

Mr Yoon's high-profile trip from Apr 24 to 29 will be the first state visit to the US by a South Korean leader since 2011. It will mark the 70th anniversary of nations’ alliance.

Analysts believe Mr Yoon wants to leave Washington with firm commitments, as the South Korean public grows increasingly sceptical of reliance on US protection amid military tensions with the North.

A recent poll by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies showed more than half of respondents believed the US would not risk its safety to protect South Korea, said Reuters.

“The state visit by President Yoon needs to be more than just a birthday party,” said Mr Danny Russel, vice president of international security and diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

“The South Korean people may be less confident in the US’ nuclear commitment to South Korea than they have been in the past. So, it is very important for this visit to generate something that is visible, audible and credible,” said Mr Russel.

DEFENCE TIES

Among Mr Yoon’s entourage is Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jeong-soo.

When North Korea made a surprise attack on the tiny South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in November 2010 – its first act of aggression since the end of the Korean War in 1953 – Mr Kim was defending on the frontlines.

The then-commander of the Marines’ 7th Artillery Battery of the Yeonpyeong Marine Unit, along with several other victims of previous North Korean aggressions, were chosen to travel to Washington with President Yoon.

Analysts said the composition of the delegates is a clear indication that security will top the agenda.

Myongji University’s political science professor Shin Yul said he is watching the summit closely to see if the US mentions the possibility of redeploying tactical weapons in South Korea to help the country defend itself, should there be an attack by North Korea.

“I would call it a great success if the visit to the US creates an atmosphere that allows the consideration of the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea,” said Prof Shin.

“We have left some space open for tactical nuclear weapons to enter our country. Now, we have to start preparing and I hope this visit will be an important step towards that.”

Mr Yoon’s visit comes at a time when calls for Seoul to arm itself with nuclear weapons are rising, with a majority of South Koreans in favour of the option as Pyongyang's military ambitions grow increasingly bolder.   

He is also expected to seek President Biden’s reassurance that the US nuclear umbrella in the region is effective, Mr Lee Choon-geun, a North Korea policy expert, said.

“The strategy on extended deterrence needs to be very much more concrete,” noted the senior research fellow at Washington-based research centre Science and Technology Policy Institute.

“Even if we can’t share nuclear weapons, we should look for ways to strengthen information-sharing about US plans for its nuclear assets in East Asia, and use them together if needed.”

TECHNOLOGY TIES

The allies' relationship goes beyond defence and deterrence for both leaders. Economic cooperation is also on the cards, including stabilising supply chains and expanding cooperation in a whole host of high-tech areas.

“I hope that the US will … allow more space for joint development on cutting-edge technology, while cooperating more closely to expand into the high-tech industry,” said Mr Lee.

Last year, South Korean carmaker Hyundai announced the creation of a US$10 billion electric vehicle and battery manufacturing plant in the US state of Georgia.  

“It really needs to be an alliance that is powered by chips, batteries and clean technology , which really just represents the expansion and the reciprocal nature of the alliance as it is developing,” said Mr Scott Snyder, senior fellow for Korea studies at think tank Council on Foreign Relations.

RED CARPET TREATMENT

Washington has planned a splashy reception to honour Mr Yoon and his wife Kim Keon-hee, including a grand welcome ceremony and a lavish dinner, as the Biden administration rushes to reassure Seoul of its support.

This comes amid controversies that the US has been spying on its allies, including eavesdropping on South Korea.

But while the recent leak of Pentagon documents could cause some awkwardness, most analysts agree it is not enough to undermine discussions.

Aside from bilateral ties, the US has also for years tried to help improve South Korean-Japanese relations following decades of frosty relations over World War II hostilities.

Last month, Mr Yoon became the first South Korean president to visit Japan in more than a decade.

“The US administration must be very pleased that South Korea is taking the initiative under the Yoon government,” said Mr Tom Byrne, president of non-profit organisation The Korea Society.

He added that the closer ties are likely propelled by increased concerns about North Korea’s weapons development and China’s geo-political ambitions in the region.

Mr Yoon and Mr Biden are also expected to discuss more ways to support Ukraine, after the South Korean president signalled Seoul may go beyond its humanitarian and economic aid , and start providing arms to Kyiv.

They will hold a news conference on Wednesday following their summit, and Mr Yoon will give a speech to a joint session of congress on Thursday.

The two presidents will also visit the Korean War Memorial to mark the 70th anniversary of the military pact agreed at the end of the conflict in 1953.

US, South Korea to sign space cooperation agreement during summit

Biden to pledge steps to deter nuclear attack on South Korea: Officials

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Preview of the Upcoming State Visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea and News of the Day

FPC Briefing

John Kirby, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications

Monday, April 24, 2023, 10:00 a.m. ET

Washington, D.C.

April 24, 2023

In this on-the-record briefing, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby discussed the upcoming state visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea, along with National Security news of the day.

MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023, 10:00 A.M. EST

THE WASHINGTON FOREIGN PRESS CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C.

MODERATOR: Good morning and welcome to the Washington Foreign Press Center. My name is Doris Robinson and thank you for joining us today. Today’s briefing is a preview of the upcoming state visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea, as well as news of the day. As a reminder, this briefing is on the record, and a transcript will be posted later today at fpc.state.gov.

I am pleased to introduce John Kirby, NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications. And with that, I will turn it over to John.

MR KIRBY: How are you all doing this morning? Ah, hello. (Laughter.) It’s as quiet as a church in here, man.

All right, good to be with you guys. As noted, this week President Biden will welcome President Yoon to the White House, his second official state visit, making – marking not only the first state visit by an Indo-Pacific leader during the Biden-Harris administration, but the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance. This visit is truly a celebration of the last seven decades of our ironclad alliance, and we look forward, of course, to the next 70.

Under the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S.-ROK alliance has grown far beyond the Korean Peninsula and is now a force for good – literally – in the Indo-Pacific, and quite frankly, around the world. Side by side, the U.S. and the Republic of Korea are implementing our Indo-Pacific strategies, and we’re doing it together. This visit will build on the two leaders’ multiple engagements since President Yoon’s inauguration just one year ago.

Additionally, we expect the visit will celebrate the U.S. and the Republic of Korea’s collaboration on various initiatives under President Yoon’s strong leadership. The alliance remains committed to pursuing dialogue with the Democratic Republic of Korea to achieve a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to longstanding differences and to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

We’re going to have a lot more detail to come out this afternoon at the White House briefing and throughout the week, but I just wanted to set the stage for what we anticipate will be and what we’re excited to see in the second state visit by such a good partner, such a good friend, such a good ally as the Republic of Korea, and in particular President Yoon. So we’re very excited about it, and happy to take a few questions.

Yes. I think you have to wait for the microphone.

QUESTION: Thank you, Admiral Kirby. Bingru Wang with Hong Kong Phoenix TV. President Yoon, you recently had remarks on Taiwan. He said Taiwan is a global issue. I wonder if this administration had conversation with him ahead of time. Did you encourage his remarks? And when he comes here, how President Biden is going to address Taiwan issue with him? And both President Biden – you had – have previewed his phone call with President Xi for more than two months now. Could you please explain why this phone call has been delayed? Thank you.

MR KIRBY: I think there was like seven questions. (Laughter.) So look, on President Yoon’s remarks, he can speak to his remarks. He’s the president of a sovereign nation, and as representative of the – he represents the Korean people, he speaks for himself, he speaks for his nation, he speaks for his people, and we’ll leave it there.

On Taiwan, I think clearly we expect in the course of the next couple of days that tensions in the Indo-Pacific will be high on the agenda. And tensions come from lots of places in the Indo-Pacific. I just mentioned the Democratic People’s Republic just a few minutes ago, but it’s also coming from an aggressive and coercive set of behaviors by China, particularly in the South China Sea, but also across the Taiwan Strait.

The President will make clear, as he had consistently made clear, that there’s no reason for these tensions to devolve into any kind of conflict. Nothing’s changed about our “one China” policy. Nothing has changed about the fact that we don’t support Taiwan independence. But also, nothing has changed about the fact that we’re going to continue to help provide self-defense capabilities to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act.

So without getting too far ahead of the President, I think you – President Yoon can expect that President Biden’s approach to cross-strait tensions will be very, very consistent, very much the same as it has been not just during his administration, but previous administrations.

Now, you asked about a call with President Xi. The President has said himself he expects to have a phone conversation in the near future, and he will. I just don’t have anything on the schedule to speak to. It is important because the issue really gets not – I know you’re asking about a phone call, but the issue is really about the lines of communication, the channels of communication between the United States and the PRC. And they remain open at various levels, and they should remain open. In fact, we’d like to see them broaden and deepen to include military-to-military communications, which the Chinese cut off after Speaker Pelosi visited Taiwan. We want to see if we can get that channel back open.

I think we can all agree – back to my earlier point – when there are these tensions in the Indo-Pacific, when there is so much to be concerned about in the security environment, that that’s exactly the time when you want those channels of communication to be open.

So we look forward to being able to get Secretary Blinken back to Beijing. As you know, he was practically on his way when there was a Chinese spy balloon transiting the United States, the North American continent. And we are in discussions with the PRC about potential visits by Secretaries Yellen and Raimondo as well because we all get fixated on the security components of this relationship, but there’s also broad economic concerns between our two countries that also need to be addressed.

So we are in these discussions and we’ll see where they go. That answer your question? Did that answer all seven questions? (Laughter.)

QUESTION: (Off-mike.)

MR KIRBY : There will be a phone call between the two leaders at a time that the – both leaders deem is appropriate. It doesn’t mean that, because they haven’t spoken recently, that there isn’t lines of communication open between them as it is. And I would remind you, I mean, President Biden and President Xi have met several times. In fact, I think President Xi is one global leader that President Biden has met almost – may have been the most, but certainly one of the most that he’s met. They’ve known each other since they were both vice presidents. And so they have an easy way of communicating with one another, and they’ll get on the phone when the time is right.

Yeah, you, sir.

QUESTION : Thank you for arranging this chance. This means a lot to Korean correspondent. Thank you.

My question is – I am Pil Gyu Kim from JTBC, South Korea.

MR KIRBY : Okay.

QUESTION : Recently, two documents reveals that the U.S. intelligence has been eavesdropping the South Korean officials. I wonder if this issue will be discussed at this summit. Do you think President Biden will express his regret to President Yoon at this time?

MR KIRBY : I’m not going to talk about these documents that have found themselves – or have found their way into the public domain. So I’m just not going to address reports of what may or may not be in those documents.

What we’re going to talk about over the next couple of days is how strong this alliance is, how committed the United States is to our security commitments on the peninsula and to the Korean people, and we’re going to talk about ways we can broaden and deepen that relationship. I mean, it is again – we focus a lot when we talk about the U.S.-ROK alliance, we talk a lot about the security environment. And that’s all well and good and certainly appropriate, but our relationship is bigger than just the security component. There is an awful lot that we are doing together to improve trade practices, to address climate change, to work on issues like food and energy security, to support Ukraine. There’s an awful lot on the agenda, and that’s what the President is going to stay focused on.

Yes, sir. I’ll come over here in a second – promise. We’ve got plenty of time. We’ll get around. As long as you don’t ask seven questions each, we’ll have plenty of time. Go ahead.

QUESTION : Kirby, thank you for doing this. My name is Min Lee from Chosun Ilbo, South Korea.

MR KIRBY: Yes.

QUESTION : Can you confirm in your report from the Financial Times that the White House had asked the Korean Government to urge chip makers like Samsung or SK to not fill any market gap in China if Beijing bans Micron from selling chips?

And another question on Ukraine. Do you expect that ROK would make public about its military aid to Ukraine after the summit? Thank you.

MR KIRBY: Well, look, I’m not in a position to confirm that press report. What I can tell you is that ROK firms are investing in the United States. They do stand to benefit significantly from the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS Act incentives that President Biden worked so hard for. And ROK companies have pledged, I think you know, more than $50 billion in new investments in electric vehicles and electric vehicle batteries, solar, semiconductors, all since 2021.

So we look forward to working with our partners and allies, including and especially the ROK, in building a more secure global telecommunications ecosystem and a more resilient supply chain for semiconductors and for the many products and services that they enable. So we expect there will be a very robust discussion on this over the course of this week, and we’re looking forward to having that discussion.

On Ukraine, I think it’s worth noting South Korea has – the Republic of Korea has already contributed more than $200 million – I think it’s like $250 million in humanitarian assistance – to Ukraine. They’ve really stepped up. They’ve also been very vocal about condemning Russia’s aggression and being out there in front on that, and we’re very grateful for that.

Secretary Austin holds a contact group. He just did his most recent one last week in Ramstein. More than 50 nations participated in that, including the Republic of Korea. This is not just a European continent issue; this is a global issue, what Mr. Putin is doing inside Ukraine. And the Republic of Korea clearly understands that, President Yoon clearly understands that, and they’re stepping up.

Every nation – because they’re sovereign nations, every nation must choose for itself whether or not it’s going to support Ukraine, and if it is going to support Ukraine what that support’s going to look like. It’s not the United States position to pressure or push or cajole another nation to do more or to give different types of capabilities. They have to make these decisions for themselves, and we respect that. The Republic of Korea has been a contributor to supporting Ukraine, and again, we’re very, very grateful for that. And whatever they might choose to contribute in the future, of course we’d be grateful for that as well, and I’m sure the Ukrainian people will.

QUESTION : Thank you. Thank you, Admiral Kirby. My name is Kohei Tsuji from Japanese television NHK. My question is that two America’s important allies in Indo-Pacific, Japan and Korea, their relationship has been improving under President Yoon’s leadership.

MR KIRBY: Indeed.

QUESTION : I would like to ask you, what does the U.S. expect U.S.-Japan-Korea trilateral relationship that is very important to the region is going to develop given that two nations’ relationship is improving.

MR KIRBY : You’re absolutely right; the bilateral relationship between the Republic of Korea and Japan has improved, and President Yoon has really been a strong advocate for that and a leader in that regard, but Prime Minister Kishida as well. I mean, both these nations, both these leaders have stepped up to improve these bilateral relationship by the bilateral relations. We here in the United States – President Biden also wants to see not only that bilateral relationship continue to grow and deepen but to improve trilateral cooperation. And that’s largely focused on security concerns in the Indo-Pacific but not just in security concerns.

I would note it’s interesting that you should ask that question. Under President Yoon, the Republic of Korea has laid out a new National Security Strategy for the Indo-Pacific that talks about the ways in which the republic can continue to support to a better security environment and to address common threats and challenges, not just the threat – although it’s a significant one – from the DPRK. But Japan, too. Prime Minister Kishida and his government has put out a new national security strategy which posits them to be more assertive and more active on the security front, so there’s a lot of good things happening here.

Both nations individually, just unilaterally on their own, improving their military capabilities, investing more in security – in the security environment, in the security realm, but also working together not only with us but with each other – more exercises, right, more operations together, more military-to-military relationship building and communication, more information sharing. There’s a lot to this. It’s multifaceted and it’s very positive to see. Obviously, President Biden wants to continue to see that grow and deepen because it’s not just good for the republic, it’s not just good for Japan, and it’s not just good for the United States; quite frankly, it’s good for all of our allies and partners in the region.

Yes, ma’am. Yeah, you.

QUESTION : Hi, I am Yangsoon Kim from KBS, Korean media. Just a follow-up question from him and regard with the leaked document. I’m not talking about the method of the gathering the information, but the people from the Korean NSC last visit, he said that Korea and U.S. and Japan will discuss about the sharing information systems which is intelligence information system, sharing with the trilateral countries. Is it – can you say about that?

And one more question is about a lot of the Koreans’ doubt about the reassuring about extended deterrence from the U.S., and will be discussed in this summit meeting? And I heard that President Biden will make a substantial step about the extended deterrence, and can you preview or is it about the NATO system or something like that?

MR KIRBY: No, I’m not going to get ahead of President Biden on that, but we have talked about the policy of extended deterrence and how important that is to us, particularly in that part of the world. And I have absolutely no doubt that the idea of deterrence and extended deterrence in particular will be on the agenda. I’m going to – I’ll demur to President Biden and President Yoon to speak about their conversation at the appropriate time, but I think you can absolutely expect that the notion of extended deterrence and how we can continue to improve and strengthen our ability to contribute to this – to the mutual security commitments in the alliance I think will certainly be front and center.

We all share a concern – certainly we both share a concern – about where things are going in Pyongyang, and I will take this opportunity to stress that we reiterate our call to the regime in Pyongyang that we are willing to sit down without preconditions to talk about the denuclearization of the peninsula, complete denuclearization of the peninsula. That’s still our policy goal, and we’re willing to sit down with Kim Jong-un and his team without preconditions to do that. They have not taken us up on that offer.

So, in the meantime, we’ve got to make sure that the alliance is ready across a spectrum of military capabilities to defend our mutual and our shared interests, and we’ll do that. And we have been improving – back to your first question, we have been improving as part of this effort to make sure that we are ready to defend ourselves and our alliance; to improve information sharing bilaterally, of course, with the Republic of Korea, and that will continue.

I’m not going to detail here from the podium what all that looks like, but we already have a robust system in place for how to share information with our allies. We’re improving that now because North Korea continues to conduct provocative – continues to conduct provocative actions, continues to launch missiles, continues to test, continues to try to intimidate. So we’ve got to do everything we can to sharpen our capabilities, and a key part of that is, of course, improving information sharing. So that will continue.

Let me go here, and then I’m going to start moving around to the back. Go ahead.

QUESTION : Thank you so very much. Alex Raufoglu from Turan News Agency. Admiral, welcome back. Been a while, so you do owe us several questions. Let me start with the region. How did the administration read China’s – Chinese ambassador’s comments over the weekend that ex-Soviet states lack basis for sovereignty? They did backtrack it a little bit, but the intention of what he was —

MR KIRBY : Yeah, I think – I mean, I think we’d certainly like to see them walk further away from that kind of a sentiment. I can’t – I’ll let them speak for themselves, but clearly these are two countries, Russia and China, that are growing closer together in ways that are not in keeping with, certainly, our view of what contributes to peace and security, not only in Europe but around the world; certainly in ways that are inimical to what we believe are our national security interests.

And right – at this particular time, nobody should be helping Mr. Putin conduct this war or giving him a pass, because this fight in Ukraine, obviously it’s about Ukraine and the Ukrainian people and the violence that had been visited upon them in a completely illegal and unprovoked way by Russia, but it’s also about the idea of sovereignty. I mean, the very ideas enshrined in the UN Charter, which, obviously, Russia is also a part of the Security Council, and they’re simply – everything that Mr. Putin is doing and at least the rhetorical support that he continues to get from the PRC flies in the face of those very principles that those two nations, who are both Security Council members, have signed up to. I mean, this really is about sovereignty.

QUESTION : Thank you so much. Let me ask you about Wagner Group as well. Over the weekend, we heard Prigozhin was quoted as saying he instructed his mercenaries not to take any POWs but murder them. We have seen videos. They are in fact beheading Ukrainian soldiers, ISIS style. I’m having a hard time of understanding, honestly, why the administration is not designating them as a terrorist group, which Congress has been asking for. I do hear from State when it comes to Russia, Russia’s designation as SSD, justifying – saying that we don’t want to prevent NGOs from operating, which is understandable, but I haven’t seen any convincing reason to why you guys are —

MR KIRBY : I’ll tell you we have already put a lot of pressure on Mr. Prigozhin and the Wagner Group, and we’ll continue to look for opportunities to do that. We designated them as a transnational criminal organization. We have sanctioned and will continue to look for other tools that we can apply. It’s reprehensible what Mr. Prigozhin seems willing to do – not just in Ukraine, throwing prisoners and convicts at this fight in Bakhmut, but also what – but what he’s doing and trying to do in places like Africa across the continent.

We’ll take – we’ll continue to look at options going forward about how we can continue to hold them accountable and to call out the atrocities that Mr. Prigozhin and his mercenaries are conducting, again, in Ukraine and around the world. But believe me, we know we have the authorities and the tools available to us to continue to hold him accountable, and we will.

QUESTION : Thank you so much. And finally, on – stepping away from the region briefly, on Iran-Azerbaijan. There’s an increasing Iranian-Azerbaijan tension – Iranians’ threat is increasing in the region. After Azerbaijan opened up an embassy in Israel, we have seen some attempts to murder an MP in Azerbaijan, some attack against embassy. So the question is, in wake of this increasing tension, where are you standing and who are you going to support if we witness – if this translates into actual conflict? Thank —

MR KIRBY : Now, look, we’ve been very clear we don’t – we don’t certainly want to see violence or conflict persist here. Comes as no surprise that Iran would be continuing to destabilize activities in the region there. And look, broadly speaking, we continue to support all efforts to integrate Israel into the region, and I would refer to Azerbaijan for any further comment.

Yes, ma’am. Go ahead. Yeah.

QUESTION : Thank you. I’m Patricia Vasconcellos from SBT Brazil. Sergey Lavrov is expected to arrive at the UN in New York today in order to chair a meeting at the Security Council, and some U.S. diplomats and European diplomats are expected to protest. Your reaction on that?

And a second question, if possible, on Brazil and Ukraine. In Europe, where President Lula is now, he said that he knows the difference between an invasion and territorial integrity, that he never equated Russia and Ukraine, but now that the war has started someone needs to talk about this. And regarding this, he understands that from his perspective, that sending weapons means putting more power in this war. Your reaction on that? And what was said from the U.S. side during the contacts that were made between U.S. and Brazilian officials in the past days?

MR KIRBY: Okay, I’m not going to – I won’t detail diplomatic conversations, for one. On your first question, I’d refer you to USUN, our mission up at the United Nations, to speak to that. I’m not aware of that particular meeting and I wouldn’t be qualified to speak to that.

But on your – the second question, the one in the middle, look, we all agree – certainly here in the United States – that this war should end, should end right away. And it could end if Mr. Putin would do the right thing and pull his troops out. Unfortunately, what he’s willing to do is to persist in this war. He’s the one who invaded Ukraine. Let’s not forget who the aggressor here – it wasn’t Ukraine. It was Mr. Putin and Russia. They invaded in a completely unprovoked way. When there still were diplomatic solutions that had to be explored, he refused to do that. And he’s been bombing their cities, bombing their factories, bombing their electrical power, bombing their water, killing innocent civilians, month after month after month, all the while trying to build up capability to go back on the offense inside Ukraine in the spring. So every indication is that Mr. Putin is the one who wants to persist in the war.

So with all due respect, of course we want peace. Of course we want this war to end. But if Russia were to stop fighting, the war would end. If Ukraine stops fighting right now, Ukraine ends. And that’s just simply unacceptable to President Biden and this administration, which is why we’re going to do everything we can to support Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, defend its territorial integrity, its sovereignty against this Russian aggression so that when the two sides can sit down and try to negotiate a peaceful outcome here, President Zelenskyy can do it from a position of strength.

So I say again that the United States is extremely committed, absolutely, stridently committed to peace and to seeing an end to this war. But it has to be done in a way that comports with President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people’s will and desire and perspectives. As you’ve heard President Biden say many times, nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. So any peace discussion – and we would certainly welcome any credible discussion of peace, including, by the way, President Zelenskyy’s peace plan, what he calls for a just peace, which we are helping try to see him actualize. But it has to be done in a credible, sustainable way, which means it has to start from the perspective of the Ukrainian people and President Zelenskyy who represents them.

QUESTION: Do you expect any change from this view that comes from Latin America, that this thought that the president has, that it’s – countries that are sending weapons needs to stop with that? Do you expect a change in that view, though?

MR KIRBY: I would have to say that these – Latin American leaders, like leaders around the world, have got to speak for themselves and speak for the people that they represent. We would all like to see this war end. We – it would be great if we didn’t have to send another package of security assistance to Ukraine. Unfortunately, we need to. And it’s not just the United States. It’s nations around the world. I talked earlier about more than 50 nations are providing some sort of support in Ukraine. Some of it’s military; some of it’s not. But because so much of the world community understands that, as I said before, if Russia stops fighting, the war ends; if Ukraine stops fighting right now, Ukraine ends. And that has to be, must be, and certainly continues to be in the United States and in President Biden’s view an unacceptable outcome at this point.

Yes, go ahead.

Not at this point – an unacceptable outcome, period.

QUESTION : Thank you. I’m Rabia Iclal Turan from Anadolu Agency. My question will be about NATO and Ukraine. NATO chief Stoltenberg Friday visited Ukraine, where he said that all NATO Allies have agreed Ukraine will become a NATO member. I was wondering what is the U.S. position on Ukraine’s membership, as it will be also on the agenda of the NATO summit in July. How do you see the likelihood of Ukraine joining NATO in the near term? Thank you.

MR KIRBY : We believe in NATO’s open door. We also believe that NATO membership has to be a discussion between the country in question and the Alliance. And we certainly wouldn’t at all get in the way of those conversations. Our focus right now is making sure that Ukraine can defend itself against a very active, very bloody, very violent invasion of their territorial integrity – a re-invasion, quite frankly, because the Russians had already invaded in 2014. That’s got to be the focus right now, helping Ukraine succeed on the battlefield so that they can succeed at the negotiating table.

Let me go in the back. Way, way in the back there. Yeah.

QUESTION : Thank you so much. I’m Jungmin Lee from KBS. Just very quick questions. So you —

MR KIRBY: Few – a few questions?

QUESTION : Very quick one question.

MR KIRBY: Okay.

QUESTION : (Laughter.) So you already gave a lot of comments on Ukraine, but will two presidents discuss on South Korean military support to Ukraine, not other support? Thank you.

MR KIRBY : Well, I certainly would not get ahead of President Yoon here or what he’s willing to talk about one way or the other. As I said, the Republic of Korea has been a supporter of Ukraine, more than 200 – I think it’s $250 million in humanitarian assistance and non-lethal assistance to Ukraine. And as I said, President Yoon’s also been one of those leaders around the world who has stepped up vocally to make it clear where South Korea stands on this unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine. And we’re grateful for all of that.

Every nation, as I said, has to decide for themselves what they’re going to provide or not and whether they’re willing to change that provision. It is – these are sovereign decisions. And I think, at the risk of sounding a little corny here, but that is what’s at stake in Ukraine. It is, of course, Ukrainian lives, first and foremost, no question about it. But it is the idea of sovereignty; it’s the idea that Ukraine is an independent nation and should be able to exist as an independent nation. Because make no mistake, that’s what Mr. Putin wants to take away from them. He hasn’t changed that. He doesn’t believe that they should exist as a free, sovereign state.

And sovereignty is very much at stake here. The whole idea behind the UN Charter, as I said earlier, is at stake here. And wouldn’t it be hypocritical if the United States, whose convening power has been so effective in bringing together all the support for Ukraine, were to try to dictate terms to other nations about what they should or they shouldn’t provide to Ukraine? These are sovereign decisions, too. Sovereignty is also being respected when you talk to other nations about what they are or are not willing to provide.

Now, of course, we want to see as much support as – for Ukraine as possible. That Secretary Austin holds these contact groups so frequently. We want to keep that support going. But we want to respect the decision making of leaders around the world. So I will certainly let President Yoon speak for himself and for the people of Korea in what they may or may not be willing to do. They have done a lot. Let’s just start from that perspective. They’ve done a lot. They continue to support Ukraine. That’s noteworthy, and it’s certainly welcome by President Biden.

Let me go back there. Go ahead, you in the aisle there. Yes, sir, with the blue suit. There’s a lot of blue suits.

QUESTION : Hi. My name is Shinichi Akiyama. I’m working for Japanese newspaper Mainichi. And my question is about North Korea. What is the recognition of the U.S. Government about the situation of North Korean – is North Korea the nuclear weapon state or not? And could you explain why?

And other question is about trilateral cooperation. As you mentioned, this U.S.-ROK summit, extended deterrence will be one of the main topics. And will Japan – how will the Japan will be involved in such discussion or creating a new mechanism or something like that?

MR KIRBY: Well, on the first question, nothing’s changed about our policy. We want to see the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. That’s what we’re after. And as I said earlier, we are willing to sit down without preconditions with Kim Jong-un and his team to effect that outcome. They have yet to take us up on that offer; quite to the contrary, they continue to pursue nuclear capabilities, nuclear weapons capabilities, and they continue to conduct provocative actions which only destabilize not only the peninsula but the region. But nothing’s changed about our position. We want the complete denuclearization of the peninsula.

QUESTION : (Inaudible.)

MR KIRBY: We want to see the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

On your question about trilateral relations, we’ve had and continue to have terrific discussions with our Japanese allies about ways we can all three work together. As I said earlier, that cooperation is certainly deepening and improving across the spectrum of military capabilities. The President is grateful for Prime Minister Kishida’s superb leadership in this regard. As I said, he has authored a new national security strategy which really does focus on Japanese military capabilities to self-defense capabilities to advance our own shared interest in peace and security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

And so I think we’ll continue to look for opportunities to discuss this with our Japanese allies but also trilaterally between the three of us. And I have no doubt that as a matter of course of this week, in this state visit, that the idea of improving trilateral cooperation between our three countries will absolutely be high on the agenda.

Yeah, you in the middle there. Yes.

QUESTION : Thank you. I’m Seungmo Nam from South Korea media, SBS. As you know, the South Korea wants a strong and more specific extended deterrence pledging during this visit. Then from the perspective of the U.S., what’s the most desired outcome that the U.S. wants from South Korea?

MR KIRBY: I would start that answer by saying we already have a terrific relationship with the Republic of Korea. As I outlined at the beginning, they are – this alliance is a linchpin of peace and security for the Indo-Pacific region. They’re good friends, they’re good partners, good trading partners, good investment partners. And of course, obviously we continue to do everything we can to improve the military capabilities of the alliance, a set of commitments that the United States takes very, very seriously.

There’s going to be a lot on the agenda for the next few days. The security component is just one of them; economics and trade will be another one; investments will be another one; climate change. There’s an awful lot that we’re going to – that we are now and that we look forward to continuing to work with the Republic of Korea going forward.

I can appreciate the question you want me to kind of get ahead of the announcements that are going to be made by the two leaders. And I’m just simply not going to do that. You’ll hear more from them after they’ve had a chance to have these discussions, and I won’t get ahead of that. But it’s not about what more we’re expecting from the Republic of Korea. It’s about what more we can expect from each other together, as partners, to improve our cooperation along all those different lines of effort. It’s really about what can we do together. That’s going to be the focus over the next couple of days.

Yes, sir, in the back there on the aisle.

QUESTION: Hi. I’m Ryohei Takagi from Kyodo News, Japan’s news agency. Thanks for briefing.

President Yoon said in interview with Washington Post, he said he cannot accept the notion Japanese have to ask for forgiveness on historic issues. So what is your reaction to it?

And then another just logistic question is where the President Yoon will stay here in Washington. Blair House?

MR KIRBY: I don’t know if I’m allowed to talk about where he’s going to stay for security purposes, so I’ll refer you to his delegation to talk about that. That would probably not be appropriate for me to speak to.

But on your first question, we’ve certainly taken note that Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon have continued a productive dialogue about some of the historical concerns between those two countries. And they’re beginning to move things forward. And the United States appreciates that, and the United States understands that those are difficult conversations to have, given recent history.

But we also respect that this is a conversation that these two nations need to have, these two leaders need to have, without interference by the United States. We’re grateful that they have proven able to talk about these things, and even to move forward tangibly and demonstrably on some of these issues. But it’s really for them to speak to, not for the United States.

Back here. Yeah, go ahead. In the front row there.

QUESTION : Thanks. I was wondering – because you’re saying the United States wants this war to end in Ukraine. Right? And they want to help Ukraine to defend itself. So when will the right point be, the right time, to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine? They have been asking for that – the delegation from the Ukrainian Parliament here last week, and also in Ramstein last week. So when it the right point for –

MR KIRBY : You’ve heard President Biden speak to this, that they are not on the table for now. What we’re focused on now are the kinds of capabilities that the Ukrainians themselves say they really need in the weeks and months ahead as they anticipate that the Russians are going to go on the offense and they want to be able to prepare themselves for offensive operations.

And so we’re focusing – if you look at the recent packages that we’ve sent, they’re all focused on the kinds of capabilities that will help them in this critical spring and the summer months ahead, and that is basically combined – what we call combined arms, maneuver operations. So it’s taking mechanized infantry and armor capabilities and even air defense, and netting them together with conventional infantry tactics to improve an army’s ability to maneuver in open terrain and to effectively defeat enemy forces in that kind of terrain.

And if you look at the arc from the Donbas all the way swinging down towards the south, I mean, it’s a lot of farmland. It’s a lot of open terrain. And it’s those kinds of capabilities that we’re focused on. We’re taking battalions, multiple battalions of Ukrainian armed forces and sending them outside the country for weeks at a time to train on those tactics, on those operations. And we have given them hundreds, just the United States alone, hundreds of armored vehicles and including they’ll have Abrams tanks here coming soon to help them do that.

So that’s where the focus is right now. It’s also on air defense. You heard Secretary Austin talk about this in Ramstein just this week: air defense is a priority and it’s going to continue, because it’s important for supporting combined arms operations in the field but also because President Putin continues to bomb and strike, with Iranian drones, civilian infrastructure throughout Ukraine. So that’s where the focus is. And I just don’t have any decisions one way or the other to speak to when it comes to fighter aircraft. The President has already spoken to that. It’s not on the table for —

QUESTION : But Ukraine is asking for F-16s.

MR KIRBY : As I said, we’re in constant discussion with the Ukrainians almost every day about what the capabilities are that they need the most in the weeks and months ahead, and that’s what we’re focused on.

QUESTION : Thank you.

MR KIRBY : Yes, in the back there, with the pink sweater.

QUESTION : Hey, hello. Alejandra Arredondo from EFE Spanish news agency. My question is regarding to the meeting this week in Colombia about Venezuela with different countries. So my question is under what conditions will the U.S. lift sanctions to Venezuela before elections? Or what measures from Venezuela does the U.S. need in order to lift sanctions before an election is held? Thank you so much.

MR KIRBY : I don’t have any announcements with respect to sanctions in Venezuela, and I’m certainly not going to get in – hang on a second. I – let me finish, and then if you have another question, if I fail here, you can tell me I fail. Certainly not going to get involved in their domestic politics.

What we have said is that, that if we see demonstrable efforts by the Maduro regime to advance the will of the Venezuelan people in meaningful ways, then we are willing to take a look at the sanctions regime, but it’s still in place largely, and appropriately so. And so again, if we see steps out of the Maduro to be willing to actually advance the will of the Venezuelan people and act on their behalf and to move a process forward, then certainly we’d be willing to talk about that and consider that. But I have no sanctions changes or policy changes to speak to today. We will continue hold people accountable for corruption and for illegal behavior and for civil and human rights abuses. That’s always going to be a foundation of our policy.

QUESTION : What steps in particular? There’s talks right now with the Colombian Government being there and with the opposition. They talk about maybe having a calendar leading to elections and that parallel to U.S. sanctions and Petro talked with President Biden last week and that was one of the topics. What specific measures in what you mention could be a potential for lifting sanctions?

MR KIRBY : Yeah, I think – look, we’re – we’ll have to see what Mr. Maduro is willing to do. I mean, it’s not about laying out a menu of options that he simply picks from. It’s about seeing demonstrable ways, tangible ways, where he’s taking the will of the Venezuelan people seriously and willing to move forward on a meaningful, democratic political process there. So we’re just going to have to see. We’ll have to see.

QUESTION : My name is Olga Koshelenko. I am from 1+1 Media Ukraine, and I have lot on Lavrov and UN. Taking this opportunity, are United States Government officials going to have in-person contacts with Lavrov to discuss Paul Whelan or Evan Gershkovich cases or something? And more broadly, from your senses, what is the real purpose of Lavrov showing up in New York? From some point, I believe it’s not maintaining peace and security and to defending the UN Charter.

MR KIRBY: Well, I mean, he’s in New York because Russia – it’s now their turn to be the president of the ** president of the national security council, and that’s a process that we respect. As the host nation for the United Nations, we have to respect that. So that’s what he’s doing here. And again, we’re going to – in the Security Council and elsewhere around the world, we’re going to continue to look after our interests and the interests of the Ukrainian people. And I’m sorry – your first question was —

QUESTION : Those in-person contacts with Lavrov —

MR KIRBY: Oh, about wrongfully detained Americans. We continue to discuss with Russian officials the wrongful detention of Mr. Whelan and certainly now Mr. Gershkovich, who are being detained – and Mr. Whelan’s case now for years – on ridiculous, false charges. And we’re going to stay focused on doing everything we can to get these two gentlemen home to their families where they belong.

There is already – we have made a proposal to Russian officials about Mr. Whelan in particular, and we did that even – well before Mr. Gershkovich was detained – which the Russians have not acted on. And we urge them to take that offer seriously and let’s move forward in getting Paul back home to his family where he belongs.

I don’t have any specific conversations to speak to with respect to Mr. Lavrov being in New York, but I can assure you that there isn’t a day that goes by that our team and the team over at State under Mr. Carstens, the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, isn’t working and trying to communicate directly with Russian officials about getting these two gentlemen released and back home. It’s significant. And you said you’re from Ukraine? Is your family all still there? And everyone doing okay? You staying in touch with them?

QUESTION : Yeah.

MR KIRBY : Yeah. Yeah. It’s truly inspiring what the Ukrainian people have been doing this last year. It really is amazing, and I hope that they all recognize and know how committed President Biden will stay to helping Ukraine succeed on that battlefield so that Mr. Zelenskyy, when he’s ready, he can determine what a negotiation looks like and what the circumstances are. It’s got to be his decision.

Yes, ma’am.

QUESTION : Hello. This is Yoo Jin Kim, Kyunghyang Daily News from South Korea. And thanks for underscoring the U.S. position on assistance to Ukraine. So is it fair to draw that U.S. will welcome, if ROK Government decides to send arms to Ukraine? And if Russia retaliates against ROK Government’s decision, what will be the consequences faced by Russia? And quick question on the investment, because since you mentioned that it’s on the table of the summit, U.S. – President Biden’s expected to announce measures to regulate U.S. outbound investment in advanced technological sectors in China like – such as artificial intelligence and advanced chips. Since U.S. is working with G7 countries to forge a cooperation on that issue, would U.S. expect the same from ROK Government as well?

MR KIRBY : Well, and we certainly would let the ROK Government speak to that themselves. I mean, I won’t get ahead of announcements the President will or won’t make, but one of the things that will be on the agenda clearly over the next few days is how we can deepen and broaden our trading partnership with South Korea and how we can together start building a more resilient supply chain for things like semiconductors. There’s an incredible amount of investment – I mean, it looks like more than $100 million – I’m sorry, more than $100 billion in the United States by the Republic of Korea just since the beginning of this administration in the United States foreign direct investment, and in fact 3 billion just in the first quarter of this year. So there’s an awful lot of opportunity for us to deepen and strengthen our trade and economic partnership, and I have no doubt that the two leaders will discuss that. But I won’t get ahead of any announcements the President might or might not make. There is, as I said earlier, a real need. We’ve seen this, certainly through the pandemic, that we’ve got to have a more resilient supply chain when it comes to things like chips and semiconductors.

On your first question, we welcome any contribution by any nation to support Ukraine, whatever that is. And we aren’t – we’re not grading them. It’s not like people are on some kind of sliding scale. Every nation decides for themselves whether they are going to support Ukraine, and if so what that looks like. And South Korea, the Republic of Korea, has in fact supported Ukraine, as I said, with a tremendous amount of humanitarian assistance and non-lethal capabilities. And if President Yoon makes a decision to change the scope of that, that’s certainly something for him to speak to. We already appreciate what the Republic of Korea is doing, and we would welcome any additional contribution by any nation who wants to see Ukraine continue to succeed on the battlefield.

Okay. I got time for just a couple more, and then I think we’re going to have to go. Yes, sir.

QUESTION : Thank you. Sputnik News, Russia. Russia’s Deputy Chief of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev recently said that Moscow is ready to consider sending its advanced arms to DPRK should Seoul decide to provide arms to Ukraine. Do you see any security risks for Seoul here?

MR KIRBY : I – we haven’t seen any indication that that sort of defense cooperation has taken place. I think you know a few weeks ago we revealed publicly that North Korea had shipped some artillery shells and ammunition to the Prigozhin Group under – I’m sorry, the Wagner Group under Mr. Prigozhin in Ukraine. But we haven’t seen anything that sort of broadens or deepens that.

Look, Mr. Putin knows he’s struggling in this war. It – he knows his military has not done well – poor command and control, poor leadership, poor morale, certainly poor operational effectiveness on the battlefield, and a large part of that goes to the bravery and skill of the Ukrainian soldiers who are facing them and the Ukrainian people who are supporting their army in the field. But it also goes to the fact that he’s running through his inventory of arms and ammunition, of missiles, and of people. Because he just continues to throw flesh at this fighting

And so we also know that the export controls and the sanctions that we put in place are certainly pinching his defense industries, his ability to acquire, procure, and put in the field additional military capabilities. So what’s he do? He reaches out to a country like Iran for drones. And we know that the Iranians have sent – already sent several hundred of these drones, which they use – the Russians continue to use to kill innocent Ukrainian people. We know that he’s reached out to other countries as well, that he continues to try to reach out to the PRC, to China, to provide arms and ammunition, because he knows that he’s hurting. He knows that things are not going well.

This is not the time, as we’ve said, for any nation to be making it easier for Mr. Putin to kill innocent Ukrainian people. Nobody should be making it easier for him to continue to violate Ukrainian sovereignty. And we’re going to continue to make that case. We’re going to continue to make sure that Ukraine can defend itself.

Yeah. You had another one?

QUESTION : I just want to clarify my question. I asked about —

MR KIRBY: Well, it was a good answer, even if it wasn’t to your question.

QUESTION : Yeah. Absolutely, I agree. Russia is considering sending advanced weapons to DPRK in retaliation for Seoul sending arms to Ukraine. So —

MR KIRBY : In return for South Korea —

QUESTION : Sending arms to Ukraine.

MR KIRBY: Yeah.

QUESTION : Do you see any threat —

MR KIRBY : Well, first of all, let’s not get ahead of where we are. The Republic of Korea’s support for Ukraine has been largely in the non-lethal category. Only President Yoon and the Korean people can decide whether they want to change that and send additional or different kinds of capabilities. So let’s be clear where we are right now. And only President Yoon can speak for what the Republic of Korea will or will not do.

And I’ve seen Mr. Medvedev’s comments with respect to assisting the DRPK. Again, I would argue – we would argue – that what needs to happen on the peninsula is the denuclearization, a de-escalation of tensions. And providing capabilities in any context to make the security environment on the Korean Peninsula less secure and less stable is to no one’s benefit.

What we will do – again, I can’t speak hypothetically for what Mr. Medvedev is saying or what Russia will or won’t do, and I certainly can’t speak hypothetically to what President Yoon might do to support Ukraine. What we will do is two things in the context of this discussion: one, continue to support Ukraine on the battlefield. We are the leading nation in contributions to their self-defense, and we’re going to continue to be that leader. We’re going to continue to make sure that they can succeed on the battlefield, as President Biden has said, for as long as it takes. And two – and this gets back to this week – we’re going to continue to look for ways to deepen and improve this alliance that we have with the Republic of Korea, which we take seriously. Five of our seven treaty alliances in the United States are in the Indo-Pacific region, and this is a key one, as I said, the lynchpin that we believe – a lynchpin alliance to security and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific. We’re going to look for ways to continue to improve that.

Our commitment, our obligation to defend the Republic of Korea is ironclad, and the United States will continue to do what it has to do to make sure we meet that commitment.

Okay, guys. I’m afraid I’m going to have to call it quits here. I do appreciate your time. I think we got to just about everybody. And look forward to seeing you throughout the rest of the week, a very important week. The President is very much looking forward to this state visit, and we’ve very excited to have President Yoon and his team here. Thank you.

MODERATOR : Thank you. That concludes today’s briefing.

**Footnote: Russia currently holds the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council.

U.S. Department of State

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South Korea, US presidents to meet in Washington – amid wary glances in the direction of Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will meet his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden at the White House on April 26, 2023 – a rare state visit that comes as the two nations seek to confront common concerns.

The event is only the second state visit to the U.S. of a foreign head of state during the Biden administration, following a trip by President Emmanuel Macron of France in late 2022. That the White House handed the honor to Yoon, a relative political novice before taking office in May 2022 , may come as a surprise to some foreign policy observers. Seoul does not carry the same clout in international politics as some other U.S. allies. It is an important economic partner but so, too, are Japan, Germany, Canada and Mexico – all of whom rank above South Korea in terms of overall U.S. trade.

Why, then, the pomp and ceremony for Yoon? As a scholar of Korean political history and U.S.-East Asia relations, I believe the answer can be found in three locations on the map and their respective governments: Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow. The White House meeting might well frame the event around the strengthening of ties between Seoul and Washington, but in reality they will want to send a message of unity in the face of saber-rattling – and worse – by North Korea, China and Russia.

A friendship forged in war

Washington and Seoul’s relationship was forged in the bloody crucible of the Korean War of 1950-53 . For several decades, the alliance was lopsided, especially in the lean two decades following the armistice of 1953 when the South Korean subsistence economy was almost totally dependent on U.S. aid . But over the past two decades, South Korea has evened up the ledger, becoming a world leader in electronics , shipping, vehicles, arms and pop culture . The U.S-South Korea alliance has developed into one based as much on economic interests as diplomatic and strategic concerns.

Even the awkward issue of recent reports of alleged U.S. spying on the South Korean presidential office is not likely to dampen the show of friendliness expected on display during the bilateral meeting.

After all, Biden and Yoon have more serious matters to contend with. The state visit follows a year in which North Korea fired nearly 100 missiles into the skies in and around the Korean Peninsula, Russia brazenly invaded Ukraine , and China upped its rhetoric around the disputed island of Taiwan. And each will need addressing in the summit.

North Korean missiles

To South Korea, the threat of the isolationist state to its north is the most existential. Biden will likely underscore the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea against a nuclear-armed North Korea.

But the threat is not confined to imperiling the Korean Peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s intercontinental ballistic missiles now have the capability to hit the U.S. mainland. Such a development may be intended to draw Washington’s attention , but it has another consequence: aligning the existential threat that South Korea faces with that of the United States.

Growing apprehension in South Korea – where more than 70% now favor a domestic nuclear weapons program rather than rely on its powerful ally – means that Yoon will seek U.S. reassurances that go beyond the rhetoric of “ extended deterrence ” and promises of an “ironclad” alliance .

North Korean leader Kim, having told the world last week that he is gearing up to launch a spy satellite into space, has also used the opportunity of Yoon’s U.S. visit to step up the country’s ballistic missiles tests – a reminder to his two main adversaries that he can always make life for them difficult.

China’s regional push

That China and Russia continue to block any move at the U.N. Security Council to punish North Korea over its tests only emboldens Pyongyang.

But the threat posed by North Korea is not the only East Asian security concern for the U.S. or South Korea. The rise of China as an Indo-Pacific force – and a rival to Washington’s and Seoul’s economic and strategic interests – is another likely topic to come up in the White House meeting.

Indeed, Yoon may have foreshadowed U.S. and South Korean thinking on China with comments made to the Reuters news agency just days ago.

“The Taiwan issue is not simply an issue between China and Taiwan, but like the issue of North Korea, it is a global issue,” he said. Yoon may just have been echoing what Biden and he declared at the pair’s first summit in Seoul in May 2022 over the importance of preserving “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as an essential element in security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.” But the remark raised the ire of officials in Beijing to howls of protest . And the fact that a South Korean leader should join the U.S. as it ups the rhetoric over Taiwan will likely be welcomed by Washington and, of course, Taipei.

It also comes on the back of efforts by Yoon to make amends with Japan – an erstwhile “friend of a friend” in regards to the U.S., but one with which Seoul has long-festering wounds going back to the Japanese occupation of Korea .

In March, Yoon visited Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – the first official bilateral meeting between the two countries’ leaders in 12 years.

Friendlier terms between Tokyo and Seoul – both democracies – serve Washington’s plans to counter the influence of autocracies in the region, forming a quasi-trilateral alliance structure.

Biden will be hoping to isolate China further through economic means. Yoon will visit Boston during his trip, underscoring the importance of collaboration in the biotech and high-tech industries. It comes as South Korea’s leading microchip producers, including Samsung and SK Hynix, face pressure from the U.S. to curtail their semiconductor business in China. Yoon will be seeking to promote U.S.-Korean joint investment in the semiconductor sector to compensate for the impact from reducing sales to China’s market.

Ukraine’s need for weapons

And then there is the war in Ukraine, which tends to loom over diplomatic matters since Russia’s invasion.

In the past, South Korea has remained largely parochial on security issues, understandably, given the threat it faces on the peninsula. For example, no previous administration has even floated the notion of military support for the U.S. in the event of war in the Taiwan Strait.

Similarly, Seoul has provided only economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, although it is the world’s eighth-biggest exporter of arms. But Yoon’s vision for his nation is that of a “ global pivotal state ” that places freedom, values and international rules-based order at the heart of its foreign policy – and that opens up the possibility of further intervention.

If Biden is able to coax his guest to commit to supply, discreetly, more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, it will prove a win for both Yoon’s vision as well as that of Biden.

State visits are by their nature ceremonial – and 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the United States-Republic of Korea alliance. But as strategic and economic concerns converge, the future relationship between the countries is being redefined by how the two allies confront simultaneously geopolitical concerns on South Korea’s doorstep, the wider region and the world beyond.

This article is republished from The Conversation , an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Like this article? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter .

It was written by: Sung-Yoon Lee , Tufts University .

It’s time to take Kim Jong Un and his nuclear threats seriously

The US is about to blow up a fake warship in the South China Sea – but naval rivalry with Beijing is very real and growing

Sung-Yoon Lee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Here's why the South Korean president's visit to the United States is significant

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is in the United States this week on a multi-state visit marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

President Joe Biden hosted a state dinner at the White House on Wednesday evening for Yoon. It was only the second state visit of the Biden administration following last year's visit from French President Emmanuel Macron.

His meetings in Washington come at a sensitive time not only for regional security issues, but also for trade.

"Korea, as you know, has made enormous progress in its economy, its footprint in diplomacy, its regional role, its cultural power in terms of movies and music and soft power. It comes at a very important time for issues of diplomacy, defense, security, trade, high technology," said Washington-based Vice President of the East-West Center Satu Limaye .

"I think there's a lot of anticipation as to what will happen over the next couple of days, including expected remarks to a joint session of the United States Congress."

During Yoon's visit to the U.S., Limaye said he's watching for announcements about investments in manufacturing on U.S. soil, as well as how national news portrays modern South Korea.

Yoon has already visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and met with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos about the streaming platform's $2.5 billion investment in Korean entertainment over the next four years. Yoon is also scheduled to visit Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston.

"There's lots of ways in which Korea now has made a mark. There are 2 million Korean Americans in the United States, large numbers of Korean American elected officials at national and state levels. So in all ways, Korea is arriving on the 70th anniversary as a major U.S. partner and as a major global player," Limaye added.

Satu Limaye also created and directs the Asia Matters for America initiative, including the recently released “Korea Matters for America.”

The East-West Center is hosting a public discussion on U.S.-Korea relations at 2 p.m. on May 3 in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi Center for Korean Studies and the Korean Consulate.

This interview aired on  The Conversation  on April 26, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.

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An Assessment of President Yoon’s State Visit to the White House

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Critical Questions by Victor Cha

Published May 1, 2023

South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to the White House on April 26 was the fifth meeting with President Biden since their first summit held in Seoul in May 2022. The two leaders have built a good rapport through their continued engagement on the sidelines of the NATO Summit last summer, UN General Assembly in New York City this past fall, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Phnom Penh last November.

Q1: What is the significance of Yoon being granted a state visit?

A1: A state visit is the highest honor bestowed by the White House on a visiting head of state. This was only the second such visit offered by the Biden administration (the other was to France) in large part because 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance. The Biden administration also wishes to show strong support for Yoon’s foreign policy agenda which has shifted to deepening strategic ties with the United States and away from the hedging strategy of the previous administration.

Q2: What was the biggest takeaway from the summit?

A2: Aside from setting a high bar for musical performances by future world leaders at the White House, the main deliverable of the summit was the  Washington Declaration . The declaration is the closest the alliance has come to a shared decisionmaking framework for the use of nuclear weapons in Korea, and effectively has committed the two allies to a nuclear planning group in the establishment of the Nuclear Consultation Group (NCG). NCG activities will include joint nuclear planning and execution concerning U.S. nuclear operations in a contingency, as well as exercising with U.S. Strategic Command. The United States also will maintain a regular rotation of air- and sea-based nuclear capable assets, starting with a nuclear ballistic missile submarine to South Korea for the first time since 1981. While this is not tantamount to the return of tactical nuclear weapons to the peninsula (as advocated by some), it does represent a presence of nuclear capable assets around the peninsula for deterrence and assurance purposes. The declaration is a significant document that sharpens the meaning and execution of the U.S. nuclear guarantee and will sit alongside the 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty. While this was not part of the declaration, the two sides also agreed in to education and training on nuclear deterrence for ROK military personnel.

Nevertheless, like most major documents or statements, the Washington Declaration has met some criticism in South Korea both from progressives and conservatives. The progressive opposition party has denounced the summit outcomes for warmongering and some from the conservative camp have criticized Yoon’s reaffirmation of South Korea’s nonnuclear status and compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) during the summit. Neither criticism really holds water. Rather than warmongering, the Washington Declaration tries to address South Korean concerns that nuclear deterrence may not be strong enough to prevent North Korea from disturbing the peace. Yoon's statement on the NPT is simply a reiteration of existing South Korea policy, and is a responsible statement given all the loose talk and polling lately regarding nuclear weapons in South Korea. To have expected him to disavow the NPT during the summit would have been absurd.

Q3: Besides North Korea and extended deterrence, were there other noteworthy deliverables for the alliance?

A3: Yes, a lot. The two leaders used the 70th anniversary of the alliance to highlight and build the so-called New Frontiers agenda of the relationship. First, Biden and Yoon both featured the global nature of the alliance providing not just private goods to each party but also public goods for the world. Biden supported Yoon’s new global agenda, including hosting the next Democracy Summit, partnering with NATO (as member of NATO Asia-Pacific partners), and partnering with the G7. Yoon made about the boldest statements for an Asian leader on Ukraine, featured at the top of the joint statement, condemning Russia for war and for attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. The reference to attacks on civilians lines up with previous conditions Yoon has laid out for sending lethal equipment to Ukraine. Yoon has little room to maneuver under the current law, but his inclinations on this issue are clear as evidenced in this document and in his speech before a joint session of Congress.

Second, the two leaders used the summit to make significant progress on several New Frontier issues. There was a new joint statement on U.S.-ROK cooperation in quantum information science and technology and a new high-level Next Generation Critical and Emerging Technologies Dialogue (led by national security advisers). The two sides also agreed to establish a U.S.-ROK Strategic Cybersecurity Cooperation Framework. And it appears as though some streamlining of export controls policies will allow for more collaboration in space, that will facilitate more commercial and governmental cooperation in space. The two sides also affirmed continued cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, medical products using AI, and biomanufacturing.

Q4: What are the takeaways on North Korean denuclearization and trilateral relations with the United States, Korea, and Japan?

A4: Biden and Yoon reiterated their commitment to diplomacy and denuclearization of North Korea, which was expected. The two put more emphasis, however, on human rights abuses in North Korea and also made explicit reference to aspirations for Korean unification in the joint statement, which was not seen in U.S. joint statements with the previous government.

On Japan, Biden made reference to Yoon’s “political courage” and leadership to take the initiative to improve South Korea's relations with Japan. This has become a regular adulation by White House officials regarding Yoon’s efforts with Japan. Behind the scenes, White House officials have expressed some frustration with the tepid response from Tokyo on the forced labor compensation deal and hope that Kishida will use an upcoming visit to South Korea in early May to do more. Biden and Yoon also made reference to economic security dialogues bilaterally and trilaterally with Japan. The latter suggests U.S. acceptance of a Yoon-proposed 2+2+2 on economic security.

Q5: How will China react to the U.S.-ROK summit?

A5: China will respond negatively to the summit. Yoon agreed to regularize anti-submarine and missile defense exercises, information-sharing, interdiction, anti-piracy, and also the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) trilateral exercises with the United States and Japan. The commitment to missile defense exercises, China would say, is a violation of the “three no’s” agreement of the previous administration. The United States and South Korea also made a very strong (and new) statement on opposing economic coercion which clearly refers to China (though unnamed). South Korea also agreed to a new and strong statement on opposing any changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Straits through use of force, as well as “unlawful maritime claims, the militarization of reclaimed features, and coercive activities” in the South China Sea. All of these are new major statements that will surely anger China, as they demonstrate a clear shift by South Korea to the United States and away from the previous hedging strategy.

Q6: Were there any big deliverables on economic/trade issues?

A6: The Biden administration’s acknowledgment of the intent to work closely with the Yoon government on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), CHIPS and Science Act, and export controls suggests that going forward, there might be more consultation with Korea and other key partners on rule-making rather than unilateral disclosures. Yet there was no sense that any new measures had been offered at this summit. However, it is noteworthy that U.S. companies have announced about $5.9 billion investments into South Korea, including from Netflix and Corning.

On climate change, both sides reiterated their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. They also remained committed to nuclear energy cooperation, but no apparent resolution was reached on the legal dispute between Westinghouse and KEPCO, which will hold up any further collaboration.

Victor Cha is senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.

Critical Questions is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).

© 2023 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.

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South Korean president’s first US visit clouded by EV subsidy row

Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to raise concerns over US subsidies rules during summit with US President Joe Biden.

South Korea’s opposition to new rules governing US subsidies for electric vehicles will overshadow President Yoon Suk-yeol’s first official trip to the United States, disrupting a recent display of alliance strength with Washington.

Yoon, who was in London for the funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, departed for New York City late on Monday to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He will fly to Canada on Thursday for the last leg of his trip before returning home on Saturday.

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In New York, Yoon will hold a summit with US President Joe Biden where both leaders are expected to discuss North Korea’s growing weapons threats, and mounting concerns in South Korea over the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed by Biden last month.

The new law eliminates federal tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs) made outside North America, meaning companies like Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate Kia Corp will no longer be eligible for such subsidies.

The law has sparked complaints from government officials in Seoul, who see it as a betrayal of Biden’s promises to boost bilateral economic ties after South Korean companies agreed to make significant investments and build factories in the US.

Seoul officials have said the law may violate a bilateral free trade agreement, and they have asked Washington to postpone the new rules until Hyundai completes building its Georgia factory in 2025. Yoon is likely to reiterate that request during the upcoming summit.

Several high-level South Korean officials have been mobilised in recent weeks to relay concerns to their US counterparts and press for exemptions, though solutions are far from clear.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told his South Korean counterpart Kim Sung-han early this month that the IRA would bring “more pluses than minuses” to Korea but promised to review the effect of the new rules.

“It’s structurally quite complicated because it’s already signed into law, but there is a way to go about it,” a senior South Korean official closely involved in the discussions said on condition of anonymity due to the diplomatic sensitivity of the issue.

When asked about the IRA, Yoon’s senior economic secretary, Choi Sang-mok, said neither side had yet set an agenda for the summit but could discuss the issue in light of its importance.

Yoon has also been struggling to make headway on other key diplomatic and security issues such as improving relations with Japan and enticing North Korea back to denuclearisation talks.

Yoon’s office said he plans to hold his first bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in New York, though some Japanese media reports suggested the meeting may not happen as legal fights over historic disputes remain unresolved.

According to a senior official at Yoon’s office, the president also plans to use his speech to the UNGA to reiterate the need for North Korea’s denuclearisation, with Pyongyang rejecting Seoul’s recent overtures and talks remaining stalled.

A diplomatic source told the Reuters news agency that Seoul and Washington are exploring how to reopen denuclearisation talks without another major weapons test or provocation by the North.

“Our responses to the North’s recent moves have been low profile, which is intended in order to not give the level of attention they want,” the source said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

“But we’re sending a clear message that another nuclear test would trigger real repercussions, even harsher than the biting resolutions and measures taken after the sixth test and long-range missile launches.”

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South Korean President to visit US for five days, talk North Korea with Biden

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will depart Seoul on Wednesday for a five-day trip to Washington D.C., the Blue House announced on Tuesday. Moon is scheduled to meet U.S. President Joe Biden Friday afternoon local time, followed by a joint press conference.

The meeting marks the first U.S.-South Korea summit since Biden took office in January this year. Moon had met Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, on nine separate occasions from June 2017 to Sept. 2019.

Seoul and Washington are still coordinating the details of this week’s summit, a Blue House official told reporters during a briefing on Tuesday.

Moon will touch down in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday afternoon local time, and on Thursday he is set to meet House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after visiting Arlington National Cemetery. On Friday, Moon is scheduled to meet Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House in the morning ahead of his summit with Biden later in the day.

Shin Beom-chul, a director at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said that Seoul and Washington’s coordination on the summit “looks good” so far.

“The Biden administration is sophisticated — not sudden and abrupt like the Trump administration. Seoul and Washington would probably have coordinated their messaging for the upcoming summit at least more than once,” Shin said.

There have been some surprises at past Moon-Trump summits. Perhaps most notably, Trump visited the inter-Korean border during his June 2019 Seoul meeting with Moon and met Kim Jong Un at Panmunjom, hours after tweeting : “If Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!”.

While North Korea often dominated summit discussions during Trump’s term, few things that were talked about turned into tangible activities, such as the “end of war declaration” Moon and Trump discussed in May 2018 that would formally end the Korean War.

POTENTIAL AGENDA

Experts told NK News that North Korea and U.S.-ROK cooperation for regional security will be the main agenda items at the Moon-Biden summit this week.

“Regarding North Korea, the two will likely discuss a flexible approach and the need to resume U.S.-DPRK dialogue, while emphasizing nonproliferation,” predicted Shin.

“They will probably stress working towards denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and implementing international sanctions against North Korea, but the wording could differ depending on how the two sides negotiate,” he added.

Jina Kim, a military expert at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), agreed that North Korea and other regional security issues, such as South Korea’s relations with China and the Quad, would be the main topics discussed between Moon and Biden.

She added that the summit on Friday will likely become a platform for the U.S. to reveal more about its completed DPRK policy review : “They will likely discuss the policy review in detail to show that the U.S.-ROK alliance is working together,” said Kim.

Asked whether Moon might push Biden to uphold the 2018 Singapore declaration signed by Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, both Shin and Kim said it won’t make much difference.

“The South Korean government seems to think that if Biden adopts the declaration there will be some new opportunities, but that’s wishful thinking,” said Shin.

Kim agreed: “The Singapore Declaration just listed principles that were already there before, like vowing to improve relations and work towards peace and denuclearization. It’s difficult to see it as necessary to provide some big momentum shift,” she said.

Kim stressed that it’s more important to see whether Biden, in his meeting or statement with Moon, will install “conditions” for talks with North Korea.

“Previous administrations have said that they will talk with North Korea only if Pyongyang takes meaningful measures first,” she said. “If Biden during this summit says that they are simply open to talks with the DPRK, without conditions, Pyongyang would welcome it.”

MILITARY PROVOCATION?

As for the possibility of a North Korean provocation during the summit, Kim from KIDA said that the chances of this are “very low.”

“It would be an immense risk for North Korea to commit a provocation during the summit. If they were to do so it would likely be afterwards,” she said.

“If they don’t like what they see from the summit and joint statements this week, they will probably start with a series of aggressive statements.”

Kim projected that a likely time for kinetic provocations, such as a submarine-launched ballistic missile test, would be in August, around the time U.S.-ROK joint drills are held.

Edited by Arius Derr

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About the Author

Jeongmin Kim

Jeongmin Kim is the Lead Correspondent at NK News and Editorial Director at KOREA PRO, based in Seoul. Kim covers inter-Korean relations and North and South Korean foreign and military affairs. Kim has covered the 2022 ROK presidential election on the ground, and prior to joining NK News, she worked for the CSIS Korea Chair in Washington D.C. and Reuters news agency’s Seoul bureau.

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Blinken to visit South Korea; North Korea, Russia on agenda

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on President Biden's $106 billion national security supplemental funding request to support Israel and Ukraine, as well as bolster border security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 31, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights

SEOUL, Nov 1 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit South Korea on Nov. 8 and 9 to discuss North Korea and alliance issues with Foreign Minister Park Jin, South Korea's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Park and Blinken will also discuss economic security, cooperation on industrial technology and regional issues of mutual interest, the ministry said.

The visit marks the first by a U.S. secretary of state in two and a half years. It comes amid heightened security cooperation between the allies and growing concerns about North Korea's military cooperation with Russia.

South Korea and the United States, along with Japan, recently condemned the supply of arms and military equipment by North Korea to Russia, laying out what they said was evidence that confirmed deliveries of such shipments.

Washington and Seoul see the closer military ties between the North and Russia, which is thought to be suffering depleting stocks of munitions in its war with Ukraine, as an effort by Pyongyang to secure strategic military capabilities in return.

North Korea and Russia have denied claims of arms deals while pledging to expand their ties.

North Korea's foreign minister, Choe Son Hui, has demanded an explanation on how trilateral military drills by the United States South Korea and Japan did not pose a threat to regional security.

Pyongyang has escalated the development of tactical weapons and longer-range ballistic missiles, threatening to annihilate South Korea, which Pyongyang accuses of working with the United States to wage war.

North Korea has also pledged to launch a spy satellite, having failed twice this year to put one in orbit.

South Korea, a major arms exporter has resisted Western pressure to help arm Ukraine directly over possible repercussions to its business interests in Russia.

Reporting by Jack Kim Editing by Ed Davies and Gerry Doyle

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Yonhap News English

King Charles III says he 'looks forward' to Yoon's upcoming visit to Britain

Posted: November 7, 2023 | Last updated: November 7, 2023

Yoon visit-British king

LONDON, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- King Charles III expressed his anticipation for President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to Britain this month as he addressed lawmakers Tuesday in his first parliamentary speech since his coronation.

"I look forward to welcoming His Excellency the President of the Republic of Korea and Mrs. Kim Keon Hee for a state visit later this month," the British monarch said in his first so-called King's Speech, referring to South Korea by its official name.

Yoon is set to pay a state visit to Britain this month at the invitation of King Charles III and mark the 140th anniversary of relations between the two countries, according to the presidential office. The dates have yet to be announced.

Yoon and Kim will be the first state guests for Britain since King Charles III's coronation in May. His first visit to Britain took place in September last year, when he attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

This year's anniversary marks 140 years since the 1883 signing of a treaty of friendship, commerce and navigation between Britain and the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's predecessor.

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