Cho Hyun-dong, Deputy Foreign Minister, Meets Sullivan Aide to Discuss 'IRA-Related Issues' (Comprehensive)

Met with US House Representatives on the 15th to Discuss Korean Peninsula Issues
Requested Attention to Discrimination Against Korean Electric Vehicles in the Inflation Reduction Act

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor at the White House, reaffirmed the United States' extended deterrence commitment to South Korea regarding the North Korean nuclear threat on the 15th (local time) and expressed hope that concrete and effective measures would be discussed through the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) meeting.

Cho Hyun-dong, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, is speaking at a meeting with the People Power Party's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries civil servant shooting incident investigation team, who visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 29th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Sullivan made these remarks during a meeting with Cho Hyun-dong, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Shin Beom-chul, Vice Minister of Defense, who are visiting the U.S. to attend the EDSCG meeting on the 16th.

At the meeting, Vice Ministers Cho and Shin emphasized, "In the severe security situation on the Korean Peninsula, including the heightened North Korean nuclear and missile threats, it is more important than ever to strengthen the effectiveness of extended deterrence and cooperation between South Korea and the U.S."

Regarding this, Vice Minister Cho told reporters that South Korea and the U.S. are negotiating to issue a joint statement after the EDSCG meeting, saying, "Our government has its goals, and the U.S. has an acceptable level, so all of these will come together to produce the final result tomorrow."

The two vice ministers also reiterated South Korea's concerns and position to Sullivan regarding the discrimination against Korean-made electric vehicles in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Vice Minister Cho said, "I conveyed our concerns and urged that possible measures be reviewed promptly," adding, "Sullivan said the National Security Council (NSC) is seriously reviewing this matter and suggested continuing consultations between South Korea and the U.S. to minimize damage to our companies."

He continued, "Sullivan was well aware of South Korea's concerns down to the detailed issues," and added, "We expect the U.S. to proceed with the review led by the NSC."

Vice Ministers Cho and Shin also requested U.S. interest and support for next year's 70th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the bid for the Busan 2030 World Expo.

Following this, Vice Minister Cho met with Wendy Sherman, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, and agreed to strengthen strategic consultations between the two countries and to discuss concrete measures to enhance the implementation of extended deterrence between South Korea and the U.S. through the EDSCG meeting.

They also shared a common will to respond firmly to any further provocations by North Korea and agreed to continue efforts to induce North Korea to halt provocations and return to dialogue.

Additionally, in accordance with the agreement between the South Korean and U.S. presidents in May, they agreed to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields such as semiconductors, supply chains, and nuclear energy.

Vice Minister Cho also conveyed concerns related to the IRA to Deputy Secretary Sherman.

Meanwhile, on the 15th (local time), Vice Minister Cho met with members of the U.S. House of Representatives to exchange views on mutual interests including South Korea-U.S. relations, the Korean Peninsula issue, and regional and global cooperation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Vice Minister Cho met with Steve Chabot (Republican), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, and Jimmy Gomez (Democrat), a House member, and evaluated the support sent by the U.S. Congress during the process of developing the South Korea-U.S. relationship into a global comprehensive strategic alliance.

Vice Minister Cho requested continued support in preparing comprehensive deterrence measures against North Korea, including ways to enhance the effectiveness of extended deterrence, through the South Korea-U.S. High-Level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) meeting scheduled for the 16th (local time).

Both sides expressed support for the development direction of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and responded that the U.S. Congress would actively support it.

Vice Minister Cho requested special attention and cooperation from the U.S. Congress to ensure that Korean companies do not suffer damage due to discriminatory elements in the electric vehicle tax credit reform under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

In response, the U.S. side said they fully understand South Korea's position on the IRA and will continue close consultations with South Korea to seek possible solutions.

Furthermore, Vice Minister Cho requested continued interest and support from the U.S. Congress regarding securing professional visa quotas for Korean nationals and granting citizenship to adoptees.

On the same day, Vice Minister Cho held a luncheon meeting with experts from U.S. think tanks, including Nirav Patel, CEO of Asia Group; Andrew Yeo, Korea Chair at the Brookings Institution; Scott Snyder, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations; and Jack Cooper, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

At the meeting, Vice Minister Cho asked them to continue playing a role in raising interest and understanding of the South Korea-U.S. alliance within the United States.

He emphasized the need for cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. as an economic security alliance to stabilize supply chains of key items and requested that the U.S. policy community also pay attention to ensuring that Korean companies do not suffer damage due to the IRA.

The U.S. experts reportedly said they would play a possible role regarding the IRA, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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