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| ▲ This photo, provided by Seoul's foreign ministry on April 5, 2023, shows First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong shaking hands with Edgard Kagan, senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the White House's National Security Council, as they meet for talks at Cho's office in central Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
US official-Seoul visit
Senior U.S. official in Seoul ahead of Yoon's state visit to Washington
SEOUL, April 5 (Yonhap) -- A senior White House official has visited South Korea for talks with Seoul's vice foreign minister, officials said Wednesday, ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to Washington later this month.
Edgard Kagan, senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council, met with First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong earlier in the day and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of their alliance this year, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.
Cho expressed hopes to create a turning point to realize an "alliance in action toward the future" through Yoon's state visit on April 26 and to continue talks to achieve "substantive" progress, it said.
The two sides also shared the view on the importance of developing their "global comprehensive strategic alliance" to deal with the global polycrisis and agreed to continue close communication through various channels, it added.
The allies decided to upgrade their ties to a "global comprehensive strategic" one during a summit between their leaders in May last year.
Cho is currently tapped to become Seoul's ambassador to Washington after his predecessor, Cho Tae-yong, was appointed as Yoon's new national security adviser last week.
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