US Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Likely to Visit Korea Tomorrow... Explanation of US-China Meeting Results

Rapid Visit to Korea for Direct Explanation
Tight Sharing of Public Policy Directions

Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, is reportedly scheduled to visit South Korea on the 21st to explain the results of Secretary of State Tony Blinken's recent visit to China.

Kritenbrink, who accompanied Secretary Blinken on his visit to China, is expected to visit Seoul on the 21st to meet with senior South Korean officials and provide a debriefing on the outcomes of the U.S.-China talks. He is anticipated to hold meetings with his counterpart, Vice Foreign Minister Choi Young-sam, among others. Immediately after completing the China visit, Kritenbrink, a senior official responsible for East Asian and Pacific policy at the U.S. State Department, will personally visit South Korea to provide a post-visit briefing.

After his visit to China, Secretary Blinken traveled to London, UK, to attend a meeting on Ukraine reconstruction. Kritenbrink, who accompanied him, is expected to head directly from Beijing to Seoul.

Daniel Kritenbrink, U.S. Department of State Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 17th, Secretary Blinken spoke with Foreign Minister Park Jin during his trip to China and stated that he planned to promptly share detailed information about the visit's outcomes with the South Korean side. Rather than using conventional diplomatic channels, the decision to have a senior official visit South Korea to explain the results of the U.S.-China talks is interpreted as reflecting the U.S.'s intention to closely share and coordinate its China diplomacy direction with South Korea. During his visit from the 18th to 19th, Secretary Blinken met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, member of the Communist Party Central Political Bureau, and Qin Gang, State Councilor and Foreign Minister, opening the way for high-level communication between the U.S. and China. This marks the first visit by a U.S. Secretary of State to China in five years.

If the U.S.-China relationship enters a 'managed phase' of dialogue based on this visit, it could also impact the environment surrounding South Korea-China relations. A Foreign Ministry official told reporters on the day, "The U.S. side will provide a debriefing to us in an appropriate manner regarding the results of Secretary Blinken's visit to China," adding, "There will be various formats, but we will notify you if there is any related news." The official also stated, "We believe the stable development of U.S.-China relations is important for peace and prosperity in the region and the international community, and we support efforts to responsibly manage U.S.-China relations."

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