Washington: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has met with U.S. senators and underscored efforts to bolster "strategic economic cooperation" with Washington, building on the recent tariff deal reached between the countries, his office said Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho made the remarks during his meetings with Republican Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Jim Risch (R-ID) in Washington on Thursday, following his talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Wicker serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Risch is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
"Minister Cho voiced hope that the two countries will strengthen their strategic economic cooperation relationship encompassing key areas, such as shipbuilding, energy, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), based on the tariff agreement," the ministry said in a release. On Thursday (U.S. time), the allies agreed to lower the U.S. reciprocal tariff rate for South Korea to 15 percent from the originally proposed 25 percent. South Korea, in return, committed to investing US$350 billion in U.S. industries.
Cho told the senators that the new Lee Jae Myung government will work with Washington to advance the alliance with the U.S. "under the three pillars of security, the economy, and science and technologies," the ministry said. The senators, in turn, reaffirmed strong bipartisan support for the South Korea-U.S. alliance and said they will spare no effort to ensure close cooperation continues and expands between the two countries, according to the ministry.
With the tariff deal reached, the senators expressed optimism that the two countries will be able to produce tangible outcomes in shipbuilding, the industry South Korea is best known for globally. Regarding North Korea, the senators reaffirmed the U.S.' unwavering commitment to deterring its military threats so as to defend its ally and the American troops stationed in Korea.
While in Washington, Cho also met with John Walters, president and CEO of Hudson Institute, for discussions on alliance issues and the foreign policy approach of the Lee government.