Yoon President-elect's U.S. Special Envoy Team Achieves Consensus on 'Comprehensive Korea-U.S. Strategic Alliance'

Published 10 Apr.2022 17:04(KST)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The South Korea-US policy consultation delegation dispatched by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is evaluated to have achieved results, including reaching a consensus on the comprehensive strategic alliance between South Korea and the US.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to diplomatic circles on the 10th, the delegation led by Park Jin, a member of the People Power Party, completed its 7-night, 8-day visit to the US and returned home on the same day (local time).

During this visit to the US, the delegation held more than 20 official schedules, including meetings with the US administration, Congress, and think tank officials. Leader Park focused on closely consulting with the Joe Biden administration regarding President-elect Yoon's diplomatic policy vision and the North Korean nuclear issue.

The delegation met with Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor, Kurt Campbell, Indo-Pacific Coordinator, and others, delivering a personal letter from President-elect Yoon to President Biden.

In particular, the letter from President-elect Yoon included content about laying the foundation to lead policy coordination with the Biden administration by elevating the alliance to a comprehensive strategic alliance.

At the State Department, they met with Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim, and at the Department of Defense, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

Regarding Congress, they met key figures mainly from the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees dealing with the Korean Peninsula issue, as well as members of the Korea Caucus in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

During this visit, both sides reached a consensus on the early holding of a South Korea-US summit meeting. Regarding North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch, both sides treated coordination on North Korea policy as an important agenda.

The delegation conveyed opinions on reactivating the ‘Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultation Group’ (EDSCG), a high-level South Korea-US diplomatic and defense body pledged by President-elect Yoon, as well as holding and regularizing a 2+2 meeting involving foreign and defense ministers within the year.

They showed an active attitude toward cooperation with the US-led Quad through working groups and expressed a positive stance on the launch of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), demonstrating proactive cooperation with the US.

However, some in diplomatic circles expressed regret that the delegation did not meet with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, or Secretary of State Tony Blinken.

Leader Park evaluated, “I could feel how great the US’s expectations are for the Yoon Suk-yeol administration,” adding, “It was an opportunity to confirm how much the South Korea-US alliance will be valued and how foreign policy will be led.”