U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Visits Korea for the First Time Since Taking Office... Will a Declaration of the End of the War Be Discussed?

Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Photo by U.S. Department of State website

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-seop] Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, will visit both South Korea and Japan for the first time since taking office.

According to major foreign media, on the 4th (local time), the U.S. Department of State announced that Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will visit South Korea from the 10th to the 12th. He is scheduled to visit Japan earlier, from the 7th to the 10th.

The Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs is responsible for overseeing policies closely related to South Korea, China, and Japan within the State Department. He was confirmed by the Senate at the end of last September, and this is his first visit to the region he oversees.

Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink plans to meet with South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Yeo Seung-bae on the morning of the 11th. He will also hold introductory meetings with South Korean officials. The agenda is expected to focus mainly on South Korea-U.S. relations and ways to resume dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. Additionally, the South Korean government's proposed declaration to formally end the Korean War is likely to be discussed as a measure toward North Korea.

The U.S. Department of State stated that Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will meet with senior officials from South Korea and Japan to reaffirm commitments as allies. He will also emphasize the importance of cooperation to promote prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. For the U.S., it is necessary for South Korea and Japan to improve their relations and cooperate with each other to counter China. Given that the Biden administration is actively promoting a 'supply chain strategy' and democracy-focused 'value diplomacy,' active participation from allied countries is essential.

In explaining this visit, the State Department emphasized that the U.S. and its allies (South Korea and Japan) are "working together to address the most serious global challenges of the 21st century."

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