1. During his trip to the US, Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam visited the US Congress on June 19, where he met with Representative Ami Bera and other Federal Representatives of the Congressional Study Group on Korea (CSGK) and exchanged views with them on the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, the Republic of Korea-United States alliance, and other matters of mutual concern.

※ Among the participants in the meeting were CSGK co-chair, Democrat Ami Bera from California; Republican Joe Wilson from South Carolina; Republican John Faso from New York; and Independent Delegate Gregorio Sablan from the Northern Mariana Islands.

2. Vice Minister Lim shared with the US lawmakers an assessment of the remarkable progress recently made in the situation on the Korean Peninsula through the inter-Korean and US-North Korea summit talks, as well as the relevant policy direction of the ROK government; and extended appreciation to the US Congress for robustly carrying out activities on Korean Peninsula issues in strong support of the efforts to beef up the ROK-US alliance and to peacefully resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.

° In particular, the Vice Minister attached great significance to the fact that the CSGK had been launched in February, a pivotal time in terms of the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and started its activities in earnest, including by sending a delegation to the ROK in April. The senior diplomat, citing the high importance of the US Congress’ firm support and cooperation in the process toward a complete denuclearization and the establishment of a lasting peace on the Korea Peninsula, once again asked the CSGK to lead and intensify relevant discussions at the US Congress.

3. The US Congresspeople reaffirmed in one voice their unwavering support for the ROK-US alliance and expressed hope that the current momentum of dialogue built through the inter-Korean and US-North Korea summit talks will contribute to the denuclearization and the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula. They added that members of the CSGK will continue to play active roles and to render support along the way.

* unofficial translation