1. During her visit to Washington DC after attending the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with Ranking Member Ed Markey of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on September 25. In the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the Republic of Korea-United States alliance as well as nuclear and other issues of North Korea.

2. Minister Kang noted that the UN General Assembly session the week before had served as a significant opportunity to muster the commitment of the international community to deter North Korean provocations and thereby ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula as well as to build a stable peace and achieve denuclearization on the Peninsula.

° She added that at the bilateral summit talks and foreign ministerial meeting in New York, the ROK and the US had agreed to keep their combined defense posture and deterrence against North Korea strong; and to double diplomatic efforts to seek cooperation in sanctioning and pressuring the North in a bid to induce the North to denuclearization talks.

° Referring to the North Korean Foreign Minister’s keynote speech at the UN General Assembly session and press conference held shortly before his departure from New York on September 25, Minister Kang stressed that amid growing threats from North Korea, it is of paramount importance that the ROK and US, in close coordination with each other, respond sternly to North Korean provocations and manage the situation in a stable and level-headed manner. She went on to ask for the US Congress’ cooperation in that regard.

3. Senator Markey, highlighting the firm, bipartisan support of the US Congress for the ROK-US alliance and coordination on the North Korean nuclear issue, pledged unwavering support.

° The Senator, saying that sanctioning and pressuring the North is not sufficient in terms of efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, pointed out the need to actively seek dialogue with the North and expressed strong support for the ROK government’s position in that regard.

4. Senator Markey is one of the influential, leading members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and a major pro-ROK Congressman. The meeting with the Senator is seen to have served as an opportunity to reaffirm the US Congress’ unwavering support for the ROK-US alliance as well as its all-out support for the bilateral coordination on North Korean issues.


* unofficial translation