foreign ministry-US election

By Oh Seok-min

SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will continue to work closely with the U.S. administration and Congress to handle key bilateral economic and trade issues, regardless of changes in congressional control, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in this week's midterm elections, dealing a significant blow to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

"We will continue consultations with the U.S. administration, as well as Congress and state governments, to ensure that our companies' investment activities in the U.S. proceed smoothly," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said at a regular press briefing.

The government will also continue efforts to deepen the bilateral alliance into "a future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance through close communication with the U.S. administration and Congress," he said, vowing to reach out to congressional leaders, key committee members, newly elected lawmakers and Korean American members of Congress as the new legislature takes shape.

The election results have raised questions in Seoul about whether the change in congressional control could affect momentum behind key bilateral issues, including nuclear fuel-cycle cooperation, South Korea's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and Korean investment in the U.S.

The two nations have yet to make substantial progress in implementing key security commitments outlined in a joint fact sheet released in November last year, following the October summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Under the summit agreements, the two sides agreed to work toward expanding South Korea's rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes under the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement, known as the 123 Agreement.

Washington also approved Seoul's plan to build nuclear-powered attack submarines and pledged to work closely with it to advance the requirements for the project, including ways to source fuel.

Follow-up consultations, however, have been slow to advance.

The inaugural working-level meeting, initially expected earlier this year, was held in Seoul in June after being postponed amid Washington's focus on other priorities, including the conflict in the Middle East, and delays in Seoul's process for implementing its U.S. investment pledge.

A second round, initially planned for July in the U.S., has yet to be scheduled.

Some observers say Trump's weakened political standing could add uncertainty to the process, given that some of the commitments, including those on nuclear-powered submarines, stemmed largely from political understandings reached between the two leaders.

A foreign ministry official said communication channels between the two governments remain active, citing the summit between Lee and Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September.

"Working-level discussions on preparations for the bilateral security consultations are continuing," the official said, adding that Seoul's position is to make progress as soon as possible.

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