President Wen interviews US Secretary of State Blincoln and Austin’s defense tomorrow afternoon… Today’s visit to Korea (general)

Input 2021.03.17 09:56 | Revision 2021.03.17 11:39

Simultaneous U.S. State and Defense visits to Korea, after 11 years
After entering Japan this afternoon
Security Officer Seo Hoon also interviewed Blincoln and Austin

The Blue House announced on the 17th that President Moon Jae-in will meet US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Blue House at 3 pm on the 18th. This is the first time President Moon has met a high-ranking official in the Biden administration.

It has been 11 years since 2010 that the US Secretary of State and Defense Secretary have visited Korea together. In the interview with President Moon and the two ministers, it is expected that they will exchange opinions on the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, such as North Korea policy, as well as Korea-Japan relations and public relations. There will be discussions on cooperation and explanations related to the Biden administration’s policy toward North Korea, which is currently being reviewed.

Ministers Blincoln and Austin visited Korea this afternoon after a two-night and three-day tour of Japan that began on the 15th. Blincoln will hold talks with Foreign Minister Eui-yong Eui-yong and Austin, Defense Minister Seo-wook, respectively, to discuss issues regarding diplomatic and defense issues between the United States and Korea.

After the inauguration of the Biden administration, Ministers Blincoln and Austin chose Japan and Korea for their first overseas visits, not Europe. The Blue House gave meaning as “unprecedented work”.

As North Korea’s Labor Party Vice President Kim Yeo-jeong recently criticized the ROK-US joint exercise and issued an open warning to the Biden administration, there is a prospect that a countermeasure may be discussed at the interview. However, a key member of the Blue House met with reporters and said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is the main ministry in charge of the talks by Vice Minister Kim, was in the position.

On the morning of the morning of the 18th, before the Blue House prevention, Ministers Blincoln and Austin will visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office and attend the ‘2+2’ meeting and the Korea-US defense cost sharing special agreement. The meeting with President Moon, scheduled for the afternoon, is expected to share the results of the ‘2+2’ meeting held in five years and exchange opinions on various issues of the ROK-US alliance, including defense cost contributions. The Blue House said, “President Moon will commend the efforts of the two ministers for the development of the ROK-US alliance.”

National Security Officer Seo Hoon will meet with Ministers Blincoln and Austin individually, and exchange opinions on the ROK-US alliance, issues on the Korean Peninsula, and regional pending issues.