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| ▲ U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) shakes hands with his South Korean counterpart, Foreign Minister Park Jin, ahead of their bilateral talks in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 3, 2023, in this file photo provided by Seoul's foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) S Korea-US-FM talks
(LEAD) Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. hold talks amid tightening N.K.-Russia military ties
(ATTN: UPDATES article as talks begin)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Park Jin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks Thursday that were expected to focus on North Korea, alliance, regional and global issues amid concerns over expanding military cooperation between the North and Russia.
The talks came after revelations that the North provided Russia with a large amount of munitions and weapons for use in the war in Ukraine under an arms deal apparently reached at a rare September summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Blinken arrived in South Korea late Wednesday, after attending a Group of Seven foreign ministerial meeting in Tokyo. Park and Blinken previously met in person during the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September.
After his arrival, Blinken met with National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and "strongly condemned" the North's provision of military equipment and munitions to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, the State Department said.
"Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of supporting Ukraine and thanked" Cho for Seoul's commitment to providing assistance to the country, the department said. The two sides also discussed the importance of cooperation in addressing global challenges, including instability in the Middle East, it added.
Prior to Thursday's talks with Park, Blinken paid a courtesy call on President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Park and Blinken will hold a joint press conference after the talks.
The deeper military cooperation between the North and Russia has given rise to the prospect that Pyongyang could be receiving Moscow's technical assistance for its long-range missile program. Seoul officials said the North appears to be readying for a third attempt to launch a military spy satellite after failed attempts in May and August.
At a press availability in Tokyo on Wednesday, Blinken said, "We're deeply concerned about what Russia is providing Pyongyang in return for the weapons and munitions," vowing to push for "full implementation" of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Blinken is likely to use the trip to reaffirm the U.S.' security commitment to defending its key Asian ally against North Korean threats and highlight its steadfast strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific, even amid the Israel-Hamas war and other global challenges.
"I'm going on to Korea and then going on to India, again, further evidence of the fact that we're very focused on the Indo-Pacific and will remain so," he said in Tokyo.
China-related issues could be discussed ahead of a highly anticipated summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco, set for later this month.
The Israel-Hamas conflict is to be addressed, as Washington is cranking up diplomacy to prevent an escalation and to facilitate humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Blinken will depart for India later in the day, to be joined by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for joint talks with their Indian counterparts, capping his nine-day multination trip that included stops in the Middle East.
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