Biden: "Strengthening the South Korea-US Alliance... We Will Fight to Protect Democratic Values" [South Korea-US Summit]

Need for Close Korea-US Cooperation on Economic and Regional Issues Emphasized
Ukraine Issue Also Mentioned... "A Confrontation Between Democracy and Dictatorship"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden stated on the 21st, "We will strengthen our deterrence posture and, through this, strive for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." He also mentioned economic issues, regional matters, and the climate crisis, emphasizing that "(South Korea and the United States) will fight for our democratic values and respond to various threats to uphold the rules-based international order."

President Biden made these remarks during a joint press conference following the South Korea-U.S. summit held in the main auditorium of the Yongsan Presidential Office building in the afternoon. He said, "President Yoon Suk-yeol and I agreed to strengthen exchanges and jointly address regional security threats."

President Biden highlighted the Korea-U.S. alliance by saying, "The South Korean and U.S. militaries have fought for Korea's freedom for decades since participating together in the war. This symbolically demonstrates our strength and shows the durability of our alliance. We are prepared to face any threat together."

He also condemned Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. President Biden pointed out, "The Korean people have shown great support for the Ukrainian people. Putin's war in Ukraine is not merely a European issue; it is a war against democracy and a challenge to territorial sovereignty."

He continued, "The South Korea-U.S. alliance, on a global response level, condemns Russia's violation of international norms together with allies worldwide," emphasizing, "Russia must be held clearly accountable."

President Biden also expressed the need for close cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. regarding trade conflicts with China and regional issues. He said, "Our government is promoting bottom-up growth through economic strategies, which is yielding economic benefits. Despite economic risks, our economy has shown rapid resilience. Recent analysts predict that U.S. economic growth will outpace China's for the first time in 45 years since 1976."

He added, "The alliance with South Korea is closer than ever, and our companies are pioneering new fields. As I have said many times, not trusting the United States is not a good choice."

President Biden also mentioned visiting Samsung Electronics' semiconductor plant with President Yoon. He said, "Here, innovation from both South Korea and the U.S. works together to produce world-leading semiconductors. We welcome Samsung's multi-billion-dollar investment in the U.S. This investment tightens cooperation between the two countries and strengthens our supply chains. It will protect our supply chains from shocks and enhance the competitiveness of both economies."

Beyond economic cooperation, he pledged to strengthen collaboration with South Korea in creating international order by raising global health and climate goals. President Biden said, "Today, President Yoon and I discussed various industries and global and regional issues. Cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea is very important for strategic development. We will fight the pandemic, strengthen health and security, and respond to global health crises."

He further elaborated, "We will strengthen climate change goals and fight for our democratic values through the development of electric vehicles, and respond to various threats to uphold the rules-based international order."

When asked by reporters whether he intends to meet with Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of North Korea, President Biden responded, "It depends on whether Chairman Kim is serious and sincere about meeting."

He also revealed that he has not received a response regarding North Korea's offer of COVID-19 vaccine support. When asked if vaccines would be provided to North Korea, he said, "Yes. We have offered vaccines not only to North Korea but also to China. We are ready to provide them immediately. However, we have not received a response."

Regarding the U.S. role amid deteriorating South Korea-Japan relations, he said, "I will visit Japan from South Korea and will have discussions there as well. It is important to maintain a close trilateral relationship economically and militarily."

He added, "There are issues such as trade barriers, and we are seeking ways to overcome them." President Biden also stated, "There is now a consensus that closer cooperation is needed among democratic countries in the Pacific region. We discussed expanding cooperation not only among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea but also to the broader South Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions."

He concluded, "We are at a turning point in world history. The situation is rapidly changing, and more changes will come. There will be competition between democracy and dictatorship, and so far, our thinking has been correct."