South Korea ‘strongly confident’ US alliance will thrive under Trump administration

WASHINGTON: South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said on Monday (November 18) that he is “extremely confident” South Korea-US alliance It will continue to thrive under the new US administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

“Of course, concerns have been expressed in many quarters about the impact of the election results on the United States’ relations with its allies,” Cho said in a recorded speech at a forum hosted by the Washington Center for Strategic and International Studies. he said.

“But I am absolutely confident that the Korea-US alliance will continue to develop and reach new heights in the coming years,” he said.

Outgoing US President Joe Biden met Friday with Japanese and South Korean leaders as they seek to solidify diplomatic progress ahead of the new Trump administration, which many fear could upend alliances around the world.

Ensuring that South Korea and Japan work together is considered one of the diplomatic achievements of Biden’s four-year presidency, which will end soon.

During his first term, Trump pressured Tokyo and Seoul to pay more for U.S. forces in Japan, which include amphibious units and naval warships that Washington could deploy to defend neighboring Taiwan against any attack from China.