Yoon Concludes 5-Night 7-Day State Visit to the U.S.... Heads Home

President Yoon Suk-yeol departed for home on the 29th (local time). During the 5-night, 7-day schedule, President Yoon focused on celebrating the historic achievements accumulated over 70 years and exchanging views on the future development of the alliance, achieving tangible results in economic and security sectors to elevate the bilateral relationship to the next level.

President Yoon and First Lady Kim Geon-hee boarded Air Force One at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, that morning.

President Yoon wore a dark navy suit with a sky-blue tie, while the First Lady was dressed in a sky-blue coat and white pants.

At the airport, Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to Korea; Yvonne Hao, Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development; Cho Hyun-dong, Ambassador to the U.S.; Yoo Ki-jun and his spouse, Consul General in Boston; Jang Young-su, President of the Massachusetts Korean Association; and Han Seon-woo, Chairman of the Boston branch of the National Unification Advisory Council, came out to see them off.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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The two heads of state agreed on the concept of 'peace through strength' during their meeting. President Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden alternately issued warning messages to the North Korean regime during their summit and adopted the 'Washington Declaration' as a separate document to activate a new extended deterrence system.

In particular, they formalized the establishment of the 'Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG)' to specifically operate the new extended deterrence system. This is a cornerstone for sharing information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans in response to North Korean threats and jointly planning and executing operations that combine South Korea's advanced conventional forces with U.S. nuclear forces.

In the economic sector, the two leaders also expressed great expectations for synergy through cooperation. Regarding sensitive issues such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the CHIPS and Science Act (CSA), they chose consultation and coordination over immediate resolution. However, they placed a clear emphasis on strengthening strategic partnerships.

President Yoon stated, "We agreed to conduct close consultations and coordination so that the U.S. IRA and CSA can further strengthen supply chain cooperation between the two countries in advanced technology sectors." President Biden also expressed confidence in a 'win-win' relationship with Korea.

The joint address to the U.S. Congress by a Korean president for the first time in 10 years since former President Park Geun-hye in 2013, and the first speech by a sitting Korean president at Harvard University, left significant meaning during this state visit to the U.S.

In his joint address to the U.S. Congress, where he became the seventh Korean president to speak, President Yoon mentioned freedom 46 times and emphasized becoming the 'compass of freedom' alongside the U.S. In his Harvard speech, he stated, "Anti-intellectualism, such as false agitation and fake news, threatens and endangers freedom and democracy," and added, "To defend freedom and democracy against these, courage and solidarity are necessary."

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