US "Vice President Harris to Discuss ROK-US Alliance with President Yoon on 29th"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Seulgina Cho] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to meet President Yoon Suk-yeol during her visit to Korea on the 29th and discuss the Korea-U.S. alliance as well as security issues such as North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, the U.S. side announced on the 23rd (local time).

A senior official from the Biden administration confirmed this during a phone briefing on Vice President Harris's visit to South Korea and Japan on the 23rd (local time). Vice President Harris will visit Japan starting on the 25th to attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, scheduled for the 27th. After holding talks with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will also attend the funeral in Japan, she will visit Korea on the 29th to discuss the Korea-U.S. alliance and other issues with President Yoon. This will be the first visit by a U.S. vice president to Korea in about four years and six months since then-Vice President Mike Pence visited Korea during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February 2018.

The senior official explained, "The Vice President will emphasize the importance of the Korea-U.S. alliance during her meeting with President Yoon and discuss the threats posed by North Korea, as well as the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. They will also discuss expanding economic and technological cooperation between the two countries and regional and global issues."

Regarding the meeting with Prime Minister Han, the official stated, "It will be a substantive opportunity to confirm that the Korea-U.S. alliance is a core pillar of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and to discuss an expanded alliance covering the vision of the Biden-Harris administration and global challenges beyond the Korean Peninsula."

On the possibility of North Korea conducting a seventh nuclear test, the official said, "There is no prediction or announcement to make at this time," adding, "We have already made it clear that if North Korea conducts a nuclear test, the United States will respond further to uphold its ironclad commitment to defend South Korea and Japan." He continued, "We have clearly expressed our concerns about North Korea's provocations, actions that destabilize the region, and nuclear tensions, and the Vice President will discuss these issues as well."

When asked whether Vice President Harris will visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the official replied, "There are no further scheduled announcements," adding, "The reason for the Vice President's visit to Korea is to demonstrate alliance and solidarity with South Korea in the face of North Korea's threats." He emphasized, "The Vice President wants to make it clear that the United States' commitment to defend South Korea is very strong, and that is the message she intends to convey through this visit."

Additionally, the senior official said, "One of the ways the United States approaches the Taiwan issue is that cooperation with partners and allies is important," and noted that Vice President Harris will frequently mention the Taiwan issue with the governments of South Korea and Japan.

When asked whether Vice President Harris's visit is expected to help improve Korea-Japan relations, he said, "Of course, we want America's two allies to be as close as possible, and it is encouraging that the leadership of both countries is prioritizing this issue and meeting each other." He added, "While it is not our place to intervene in their ongoing negotiations, we express support for their efforts."

Vice President Harris will also hold a roundtable on gender equality with Korean women who have pioneered new fields in various industries on the 29th. The official said, "We hope this will serve as an opportunity to highlight this issue within Korea," he mentioned.

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