US Ambassador's First Statement on 'Yoon Impeachment'... "Support for Republic of Korea's Democratic Process"

Goldberg: "The ROK-US Alliance is Ironclad... Firmly Maintained"

The first response from the United States came after the passage of the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Philip Goldberg, the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, stated on the afternoon of the 14th via X (formerly Twitter), "The United States always supports the democratic and constitutional processes of the Republic of Korea and this place," adding, "We stand with the Korean people." Earlier, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with Ambassador Goldberg at the National Assembly immediately after the impeachment motion was passed and directly explained the impeachment situation.

Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Ambassador Goldberg emphasized, "Our commitment to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region remains unchanged," and added, "Minister Cho Tae-yul and I reaffirmed that the ROK-U.S. alliance is ironclad and that we will continue to maintain it firmly." He further stated, "While democratic procedures proceed according to the constitution, we will maintain close communication with the government."

Minister Cho Tae-yul opposed the emergency cabinet meeting convened late on the night of the 3rd, just before President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. However, controversy arose over the claim that he did not answer the U.S. Ambassador's call immediately after the declaration of martial law. When questioned about this at the National Assembly, he explained, "I postponed communication because I thought that communicating in such a situation could mislead the other party."

Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea, captured from X (formerly Twitter).

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