Blinken Discusses COVID-19 Response with Minister Jeong Eui-yong

Seemingly Shared Conclusions on North Korea Strategy
Emphasizing Trilateral Cooperation Among South Korea, US, and Japan

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a South Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting on the 3rd (local time) in London, UK, to discuss responses to COVID-19.

Attention is focused on whether vaccine swaps between South Korea and the U.S. were discussed ahead of the summit between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden scheduled for the 21st. It appears that the U.S.'s confirmed review of its North Korea policy was also discussed.

Secretary Blinken stated on his Twitter, "I discussed with Minister Chung our joint efforts to respond to COVID-19 and climate change."

He also explained, "We emphasized the need for trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan on security issues, including the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." This seems to indicate that the U.S. shared its North Korea strategy with Minister Chung.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price also said in a statement immediately after the meeting, "The two ministers emphasized their commitment to jointly advocate for and advance shared security goals, including trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

He added, "The two ministers reaffirmed that the South Korea-U.S. alliance is the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world."

Furthermore, he conveyed, "They emphasized the importance of South Korea-U.S. cooperation to address the global threat of COVID-19 and the climate crisis."

Ministers Chung and Blinken held the meeting while visiting London to attend the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting.

Meanwhile, Secretary Blinken also gave a similar evaluation regarding his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu as he did for the South Korea-U.S. foreign ministers' meeting.

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