Harris Addresses IRA Concerns, Says "Will Look Into Measures to Alleviate Worries During Law Enforcement"

President Yoon Meets for 85 Minutes... Discusses Strengthening ROK-US Alliance, North Korea Issues, Economic Security, and International Affairs

President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris are taking a commemorative photo on the 29th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul before their preliminary talks. /

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] On the 29th, President Yoon Seok-yeol told U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris regarding the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), "I hope the two countries will closely cooperate to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement based on the spirit of the Korea-U.S. FTA (Free Trade Agreement)." Vice President Harris responded, "I am well aware of Korea's concerns," and added, "We will carefully ensure that measures are put in place to address Korea's concerns during the law enforcement process."

Lee Jae-myung, Deputy Spokesperson of the Presidential Office, conveyed the details of the meeting between President Yoon and Vice President Harris during a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon. A Presidential Office official explained, "This goes a step further from simply acknowledging Korea's concerns."

During the meeting, which lasted 85 minutes?well beyond the originally scheduled time?President Yoon and Vice President Harris exchanged views on strengthening Korea-U.S. relations, North Korean issues, economic security, and major regional and international matters of mutual interest.

In particular, President Yoon welcomed Vice President Harris's first visit to Korea, saying, "Vice President Harris's visit just four months after President Biden's official visit in May reflects the strong will of both countries for a robust Korea-U.S. alliance."

In addition to the IRA, which is the country's biggest issue, the two leaders reaffirmed their agreement to cooperate on implementing liquidity facilities to ensure financial stability. A Presidential Office official stated, "The government and the Bank of Korea share the recognition that activation of liquidity facilities with the U.S. is necessary to stabilize the financial market," adding, "We understand that the Bank of Korea and the U.S. Federal Reserve are actively exchanging information so that these facilities can be activated depending on market conditions."

Vice President Harris expressed concern over North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches and the legalization of its nuclear weapons policy, while also mentioning the U.S.'s ironclad defense commitments. Deputy Spokesperson Lee said, "Both sides highly appreciated the close consultations between the two countries to strengthen joint defense posture, including extended deterrence." Additionally, they agreed to discuss the details of President Yoon's planned visit to the U.S. next year, marking the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, through diplomatic channels.

On the same day, Vice President Harris reportedly also addressed the controversy surrounding President Yoon's remarks. She said, "The U.S. side is not at all concerned about the controversy in Korea," and added, "President Biden has deep trust and is satisfied with his meeting with President Yoon."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.