Seoul moves to ease concerns over weakening US-South Korea security cooperation

The South Korean government moved Wednesday to contain concerns that momentum for US-South Korea security cooperation could weaken following the US midterm elections.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official responded to remarks by Joseph Yun, former acting US ambassador to South Korea, who said there was no consensus in Washington on South Korea acquiring nuclear-powered submarines or on nuclear energy cooperation. "The pace of progress in consultations may vary depending on the nature of each issue," the official said, according to Yonhap. "Both sides maintain the shared goal of faithfully implementing agreed matters."

The official added that there is bipartisan support within the US Congress for South Korea's efforts to strengthen its own defense capabilities, and that the US administration as well as the broader Washington policy community share the view that civilian nuclear cooperation is mutually beneficial.

The Joint Fact Sheet agreed upon at last year's summit between the two leaders explicitly includes cooperation on South Korea's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines and on uranium enrichment and reprocessing for nuclear fuel. The remarks reflected the position that Washington's broader policy community already supports the submarine acquisition as part of South Korea's self-defense buildup, and the enrichment and reprocessing cooperation as a mutually beneficial arrangement.

"Even after the US midterm elections, the government will continue to consult closely with the US administration to advance agreements reached between the two leaders, including the Joint Fact Sheet," the official said. The official added that Seoul would pursue wide-ranging efforts to solidify bipartisan support, drawing on the broad backing for the alliance built over more than 70 years across the US administration, Congress and academic circles.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a separate meeting on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, agreeing to work closely together to advance agreements reached between the two leaders and to develop the bilateral relationship.