The White House announced Tuesday that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee will travel to Washington for an official state visit on April 26. Yoon was elected president of South Korea last May. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “The upcoming visit celebrates the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance, which is critical to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity for our two countries, the Indo-Pacific, and around the world. President Biden and President Yoon will highlight the importance and enduring strength of the ironclad U.S.-ROK alliance as well as the United States’ unwavering commitment to the ROK. The presidents will discuss our shared resolve to deepen and broaden our political, economic, security and people-to-people ties.” (the Republic of Korea is the official name of South Korea).
The presidents have met multiple times the past year, including during visits to Cambodia and the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The White House said the visit from President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee will include a state dinner. White House state visits traditionally includes formal ceremonies, bilateral meetings and a black-tie dinner.
On Monday, South Korea announced plans to compensate victims of Japanese wartime forced labor, settling a bitter dispute between two key U.S. allies. The U.S. and South Korea also both announced they will be reviving a massive springtime joint military exercise this month, in response to growing missile and nuclear threats from North Korea. The two countries are returning to a scale not seen in five years.
Editorial credit: Belish / Shutterstock.com