(LEAD) Biden visits Korean War memorial in Philadelphia on U.S. Veterans Day

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional background in paras 8-9; RECASTS last para to correct Biden's home in Wilmington is located southwest of Philadelphia; REPLACES photo)
By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President-elect Joe Biden made a brief trip to a Korean War veterans' memorial in his home state of Pennsylvania on Wednesday as the United States observed its national Veterans Day.

"Biden, holding the hand of his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and accompanied by the Mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, arrived at the black marble memorial that stands in a square. U.S. and Korean flags flew overhead," a pool report said.

The visit lasted 15 minutes, during which the president-elect laid three wreaths of flowers at the memorial, according to the report.

Biden did not offer any remarks.

Still, his visit highlights the alliance between South Korea and the United States that celebrated its 70th anniversary this year.

Biden has said he will, if elected, work to further strengthen the United States' relationship with its traditional allies, including South Korea.

"As President, I'll stand with South Korea, strengthening our alliance to safeguard peace in East Asia and beyond, rather than extorting Seoul with reckless threats to remove our troops," he said in a special opinion contributed exclusively to Yonhap News Agency before the presidential election held last Tuesday.

His visit to the memorial also came after the South Korean government said President Moon Jae-in and President-elect Biden may hold a telephone conversation on the day.

The South Korean president earlier sent a congratulatory message to the U.S. president-elect through Twitter, also expressing expectations for efforts to develop Seoul-Washington ties.

More than 36,000 American soldiers were killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, with more than 90,000 others injured.

There are dozens of Korean War memorials in the U.S., including two in Pennsylvania -- one in Pittsburgh and the other in Philadelphia. Biden was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, until he was 10 years old.

Biden has been staying at his family home in Wilmington, Delaware, just southwest of Philadelphia, since last week's election.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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