"Claim of 'Cannot Work with Yoon Government' Reported to Home Country"... US Ambassador Says "Not True"

Claim by Jo Guk Innovation Party Rep. Kim Junhyung
U.S. Ambassador to Korea: "Not True at All"

Philip Goldberg, the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, was alleged to have reported to his home country at the time of the emergency martial law declaration that "he could not associate with people from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration." In response, the U.S. Embassy in South Korea immediately denied the claim.

Philip Goldberg, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 11th, Kim Jun-hyung, a member of the Innovation Party for the Nation, attended the full meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and explained, "At the time of the emergency martial law declaration, Ambassador Goldberg tried to call Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol and First Deputy Director of the National Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, but could not reach them," and claimed, "Ambassador Goldberg reportedly reported to his home country that he 'could not associate with the Yoon Suk-yeol government.'

Following the controversy over the statement, the U.S. Embassy in South Korea clarified on X (formerly Twitter) on the 11th, saying, "The U.S. Embassy in South Korea does not disclose details of diplomatic conversations, but the content that Congressman Kim claimed to be Ambassador Philip Goldberg's remarks to the media is completely false."

However, it was confirmed that Ambassador Goldberg did call Minister Cho at the time of the emergency martial law declaration, but the call was not answered. On the same day, Minister Cho appeared at the National Assembly plenary session, and when Congressman Cho Guk from the Innovation Party for the Nation asked, "The ambassador called you on the night of the 3rd; why did you not answer?" he replied, "The situation was moving too rapidly, and due to incorrect judgment of the situation and circumstances, I did not want to mislead the United States."

Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the emergency martial law, the U.S. government has continued to express displeasure. The U.S. Department of State also stated that it was a "serious misjudgment." In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is making every effort to instill the perception that the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains unshaken.