Stillwell, US Deputy Secretary of State: "Korea made the right choice by choosing democracy between the US and China"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] David Stilwell, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, stated on the 9th (local time) regarding South Korea's choice amid U.S.-China conflicts, "If you choose democracy, you have made the right choice."

Assistant Secretary Stilwell made these remarks during a virtual seminar titled "Critical Thinking in the Era of Strategic Competition," hosted by the think tank Pacific Forum. When asked about Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuk's comment that "South Korea has reached a point where it must choose between the U.S. and China," and whether he expected South Korea to choose China over the U.S. in any field, he responded, "I do not like discussions about whether to choose between the U.S. and China," and made the above statement.

He also introduced, "Morgan Ortagus, the State Department spokesperson, has already answered this quite well," adding, "South Korea made its choice back in the 1980s. They chose democracy."

Assistant Secretary Stilwell also spoke about the superiority of democracy and argued that the U.S. inevitably becomes the ultimate choice. He said, "Most countries have moved to democratic governance for the right reasons," explaining, "Because it is stable." He continued, "(Democracy) gains the support of the people through voting and freedom of expression, not through resistance as seen in Hong Kong or other regions."

Earlier, Ambassador Lee, during a virtual press conference regarding South Korea's position amid U.S.-China conflicts, stated, "Some worry that we will be forced to choose between the U.S. and China, but I feel pride that we are no longer a country forced to choose, but a country that can make choices," which sparked controversy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.