WASHINGTON — President Biden will host President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea for a state visit in April, an invitation that signals the country’s importance in the administration’s efforts to counter threats. North Korea’s nuclear program and the rise of China.
Mr. Yoon, who is scheduled to arrive in Washington on April 26 with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, is only the second leader Biden has invited for a state visit followed by a home-level reception. water. Biden administration’s first state visit was with President Emmanuel Macron of Francea trip that reaffirms America’s oldest alliance.
For all the tools an American president has at his disposal, a state visit – which often includes a day-long diplomatic roadblock followed by a lavish dinner – for The White House allows the White House to celebrate its relationship with its closest allies using splendor and tradition.
The fact that Mr. Yoon received a second invitation from President Biden speaks to the level of cooperation Mr. Biden expects on issues related to North Korea and China. The president arrived in Seoul shortly after Yoon’s inauguration last year for a visit that the White House said was significant. to assure Mr. Yoon that the United States is committed to countering North Korean military threats.
During that visit, the leaders agreed to resume joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, a decades-long program of cooperation that was suspended under the Trump administration. (Former President Donald J. Trump said the drills were too expensive.)
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A former conservative prosecutor, Mr. Yoon, 62, was elected to the presidency last March. He has publicly criticized his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who arranged summits between Mr. Trump and Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader.
“I will pursue predictability and South Korea will take a clearer stance on US-China relations,” he said. said in an interview with The New York Times last September.
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South Korea has also ramped up production of military weapons as the United States and other countries found their stockpiles depleted due to aiding Ukraine during Russia’s year-long invasion.
The US-ROK partnership goes beyond military strategy. Seoul has invested billions of dollars in US clean energy and chip manufacturing efforts, including $22 billion investment announced by SK Group in July.
And after Mr. Yoon’s election, South Korea joined the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a collective of 14 countries considered a wall against China in the race to secure the global supply chain. Mr. Yoon also agreed to participate in preliminary negotiations on a technology alliance called “Chip 4” with the United States, Japan and Taiwan.
In a statement, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said the visit would “highlight the importance and enduring strength of the unwavering US-ROK alliance and the unwavering commitment of the United States. United States for Korea”. for Korea. “The presidents will discuss our shared determination to deepen and expand our political, economic, security and people-to-people ties.”
Mr. Biden and Mr. Yoon have met several times in recent months. In November, when Mr. Biden was passing by Cambodia and Indonesia, he met with Yoon in Phnom Penh, promising “the full range of defense capabilities of the United States, including nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities” to deter North Korean threats, according to the statement. White House announcement. In September, the two sides met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, once again promising to ensure close cooperation in countering North Korea.
