"Developing the Korea-U.S. Alliance"
President Lee Meets with U.S. Senators Andy Kim and Tammy Duckworth,
Urges Congress to Play a Key Role in Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation
On the 18th, President Lee Jae Myung met with U.S. Senators Andy Kim (Democrat, New Jersey) and Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, Illinois), who are visiting Korea, at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul.
With a summit between President Lee and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for the 25th (local time) in Washington, D.C., Presidential Office Spokesperson Kang Yoo Jung stated in a written briefing that the meeting included discussions on industrial cooperation between the two countries, including the shipbuilding industry.
President Lee Jae Myung is meeting and conversing with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Senator Duckworth is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and it is known that during their visit, the two senators will meet with representatives of Korean shipbuilding companies to explore the possibility of jointly building non-combat ships for the U.S. Navy.
During the meeting, President Lee stated, "I hope that this Korea-U.S. summit will yield meaningful results," and added, "I especially hope it will serve as an opportunity to achieve tangible outcomes in various fields, including cooperation in shipbuilding."
President Lee also said, "The Korea-U.S. alliance is a blood alliance, and we intend to further develop it into a 'future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance' that encompasses not only security but also all areas, including the economy and advanced science and technology." He further requested, "I ask the U.S. Congress to play a key role in this process."
In response, the senators said, "There are high expectations in the United States for cooperation with Korea, which is a global economic powerhouse and a leader in advanced technological innovation," and added, "We will do our part at the congressional level to ensure tangible results are achieved."
Meanwhile, Spokesperson Kang explained that ahead of his trip to the United States, President Lee will visit Japan for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and stated, "This demonstrates a strong commitment to further strengthening Korea-Japan relations and Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, and will further enhance Korea's stature and role on the international stage."
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