U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends an event at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 16. Reuters-Yonhap
The United States looks forward to working with Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his administration to advance the “ironclad” bilateral alliance, Washington’s top diplomat said Wednesday, calling the two countries “indispensable” allies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a press statement two days ahead of the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule.
“As indispensable Allies, we will continue working together to expand prosperity and confront the most pressing global security challenges,” Rubio said without elaborating on the specific challenges.
“We look forward to collaborating with President Lee Jae Myung and his administration to advance the ironclad U.S.-ROK Alliance,” he added. ROK stands for Korea’s official name, the Republic of Korea.
The secretary pointed out that for over 70 years, Korea and the U.S. have forged an alliance based on “shared values and mutual interests.”
“The United States is proud to stand with the ROK, which has flourished as a resilient democracy and valued economic partner,” he said.
The statement came as Seoul and Washington prepare to hold the first summit between Lee and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Aug. 25.
The summit is expected to be a crucial moment for the Seoul-Washington partnership as the two sides are working to “modernize” the alliance at a time when the Trump administration is looking to reconfigure alliances to better address an increasingly assertive China.