Deputy Secretary Ligas of U.S. State Department Visits South Korea to Discuss Bilateral Issues

Deputy Secretary Ligas visits South Korea and the Philippines
Aims to strengthen U.S. operations in the Indo-Pacific region
High-level talks expected amid ongoing trade and diplomatic issues

The U.S. Department of State announced on July 24 (local time) that Michael Ligas, Deputy Secretary for Management and Human Resources, is currently visiting South Korea.

Yonhap News Agency

The State Department stated that Deputy Secretary Ligas is visiting South Korea and the Philippines consecutively from the previous day until July 28, as part of efforts to strengthen the Department’s operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

The State Department explained that Deputy Secretary Ligas’s visits to South Korea and the Philippines will “demonstrate the United States’ commitment to the Indo-Pacific region,” and that he will engage in dialogue with his counterparts in the host countries. As the official in charge of organizational management and human resources, including overseas missions, Deputy Secretary Ligas is expected to review the operations of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul and meet with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea to exchange views on current issues in the South Korea-U.S. relationship.

Following the cancellation of Secretary Marco Rubio’s planned visit to South Korea earlier this month, Deputy Secretary Ligas’s trip is seen as an opportunity for high-level communication between the two countries, at a time when there are numerous pending issues such as trade negotiations, including tariffs, and a potential summit. The State Department explained that this visit is “based on the current U.S. administration’s efforts to create a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific that advances the interests of the American people.”