1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Monday, May 3, on the occasion of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in London. They discussed issues of shared interests, including the preparation for the Korea-U.S. Summit later this month, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and regional and global affairs.
2. Both sides agreed to continue close cooperation for a successful Korea-U.S. Summit, scheduled for May 21.
ㅇ Secretary Blinken said that President Biden is looking forward to meeting with President Moon Jae-in. He said that holding a face-to-face Korea-U.S. Summit in the early days of President Biden’s presidency in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic is a reflection of the importance that the United States places on the Korea-U.S. alliance, as well as the fact that the alliance is developing into a comprehensive relationship.
3. Secretary Blinken also shared the outcome of the U.S. policy review on North Korea with Foreign Minister Chung, and Foreign Minister Chung welcomed that the outcome of the review had been determined in a practical and substantive direction.
ㅇ The two agreed to continue close coordination towards achieving complete denuclearization and establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.
4. Foreign Minister Chung and Secretary Blinken also committed to strengthening cooperation between Korea’s New Southern Policy and the U.S. initiative in the Indo-Pacific region as well as cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines and global agendas such as climate change and democracy.
5. Both sides noted that the series of bilateral events, including the Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the Korea-U.S. Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting in March; today’s in-person bilateral meeting; and the upcoming Korea-U.S. Summit, is representative of the ironclad alliance between the two countries. They agreed to continue close communication and collaboration with each other to further develop Korea-U.S. relations.