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| US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln attends a business round table held by video at the US embassy residence in Tokyo on the 16th (local time). © AFP=News1 © News1 Reporter Dongmyeong Woo |
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs evaluated the joint visit of US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin to Korea as “reflecting a strong will to restore the alliance and to restore leadership on global issues through alliances and cooperation.”
In a meeting with reporters on the 16th, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “In addition to the Korea-US foreign ministers’ meetings and defense ministers’ meetings, the first foreign affairs and defense ministers’ meeting will be held between the Moon Jae-in administration and the Biden administration.”
The official said, “The inclusion of Korea in the first net prevention of the term of office reaffirmed the importance and robustness of the ROK-US alliance,” and said, “I evaluate that the importance, solidity and strength of the ROK-US alliance were declared internally and externally through the two ministers’ visits.” Emphasized.
On this day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed the schedule of the Korea-US Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the Korea-US Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministers’ Meeting (2+2). First, the two ministers Blincoln and Austin visit Korea after finishing their visit to Japan on the afternoon of the 17th.
Upon arriving in South Korea, Minister Blincoln is expected to hold a meeting with the US and ROK Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Doryeum-dong, Seoul. At this meeting, which is scheduled for about an hour, the Minister and the Secretary will discuss in-depth matters of major interest between the US and the ROK, such as the ROK-US alliance, the Korean Peninsula issue, regional cooperation, and global partnership.
On the morning of the next day, the morning of the 18th, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense of the United States and Korea will hold a 2+2 meeting for 90 minutes at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office building. After that, they will go to the Special Agreement on Defense Expenses (SMA) together and attend the ceremony.
Earlier, the ROK-US and the United States finally concluded the 11th SMA negotiations 46 days after the Biden administration was inaugurated, and Gao Myung-sik, attended by the defense ministers of the two countries, has a strong character of’performance’ that shows off the military alliance between the two countries.
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| US Secretary of State Tony Blingen and Secretary of State Lloyd Austin’s visit to Korea. © News1 Designer Choi Soo-ah |
On the Korean government side, Gao Myung-eun, president of the ROK-US defense sharing negotiations, is signed by Chung Eun-bo, and on the US side, the US Ambassador to Korea Robert Rapson signs the signature.
Immediately after the appointment, the two countries adopted a joint statement containing the results of the 2+2 meetings and held a joint press conference. The joint press conference will be broadcast live.
After that, Secretary Blincoln leaves the country this evening to attend high-level talks between the United States and China. The luncheon or dinner schedule was omitted in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in the schedule of a high-level U.S. personnel visit to Korea.
Meanwhile, Ministers Blincoln and Austin meet President Moon at the Blue House. The exact time has not yet been disclosed.
When asked if there is a possibility that the quad, a security alliance launched by the United States to check China, can rise to the agenda, “the two ministers will share a message in a large framework such as the current issues of the ROK-US alliance and the direction of development,” and “Korea-US-Japan cooperation. , “It is a place to naturally exchange opinions on overall regional strategic issues,” he answered.
When asked whether the criticism of North Korea’s Vice-President Kim Yeo-jeong announced on this day is included in the agenda of the ROK-US foreign ministers’ talks, he said, “We do not adjust the agenda separately on special issues like working-level negotiations.” “I will.”