Sullivan, US National Security Advisor: "The ROK-US Alliance Is Incredibly Strong"

"Yoon's Declaration of Martial Law Was Shocking"

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor at the White House, described the South Korea-U.S. alliance as "incredibly healthy."

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, is holding a roundtable with 10 major domestic and international media outlets, including Yonhap News, at the White House on the 10th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News

On the 10th (local time), Advisor Sullivan stated during a roundtable held at the White House, "There are deep and fundamental reasons for that (the healthy South Korea-U.S. alliance), and it is also because of what has been done during the Biden administration over the past four years."

He also shared his views on the December 3 martial law incident. He said, "(President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law) was shocking, and I thought it was wrong," adding, "We are now seeing things proceed according to constitutional procedures." He continued, "We hope it will be carried out without violence and in accordance with the South Korean constitution," and added, "I believe South Korea will emerge from this incident as a stronger democratic nation that continues to be committed to the South Korea-U.S. alliance."

When asked about what he regretted not achieving during his tenure as National Security Advisor, he said, "I thought it was clear that, like my predecessors since President Clinton, we would not make substantial progress on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," and added, "As has been the case under many U.S. presidents, that (North Korean nuclear issue) is going in the wrong direction."

He went on to explain, "I did not come into the White House with any particular optimistic view about what I could achieve, but it (the North Korean nuclear issue) remains a significant concern," and said, "Although we have not been able to directly reduce the threat itself regarding North Korea, I believe the U.S. and its allies are in a better position militarily to respond to and deter that threat." He also added, "When former President Barack Obama left the White House, the North Korean issue was serious, and when former President Donald Trump left the White House, it was serious, and it remains serious."

When asked about the possibility of North Korea taking provocative actions by exploiting South Korea's political turmoil, he said, "We cannot predict exactly what North Korea will do, but I definitely think there is a risk of that." He continued, "From the U.S. perspective, we do not interfere in South Korea's domestic politics, but it is in the U.S. security interest that the political crisis in South Korea is resolved as quickly as possible according to South Korea's constitution," emphasizing, "The South Korea-U.S. alliance, our deterrence, and resolve are strong, and North Korea should not miscalculate on this matter."

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