On the morning of July 25, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Jin-a met with Michael John Rigas, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, who is currently visiting Korea, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building. They exchanged views on the overall ROK-U.S. relationship.
Jina Kim, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (right), and Michael John Rigas, Assistant Secretary of State for Administration, are taking a commemorative photo at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on the 25th. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vice Minister Kim expressed to Deputy Secretary Rigas the importance of further developing the ROK-U.S. relationship through active exchanges at all levels between the two countries, not only in the field of security but also in various areas such as the economy and advanced technology.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Deputy Secretary Rigas reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance and suggested that the two countries continue to work closely together for the further development of the alliance. The U.S. Department of State has two deputy secretaries, and Deputy Secretary Rigas oversees areas such as organization, budget, and foreign assistance.
In addition, both sides agreed on the need to strengthen communication between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of State in order to successfully conclude the ongoing ROK-U.S. customs consultations and to further expand and develop the economic partnership between the two countries.
Vice Minister Kim also reminded Deputy Secretary Rigas that President Donald Trump has been invited to this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be held in Gyeongju, and requested U.S. cooperation for the successful hosting of the APEC Summit. She also asked for attention and support to ensure that changes in U.S. immigration policy do not result in harm or unfair infringement of rights for Korean nationals.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun (far right) and Michael John Rigas, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Resource Management at the Department of State (far left), are having a conversation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building on the 25th. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Meanwhile, on the same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun also visited the meeting venue to greet Deputy Secretary Rigas. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Secretary Rigas conveyed his congratulations on Minister Cho's inauguration and delivered regards from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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