S. Korea congratulates Biden on Congress' certification of election victory

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after the Congress certified his election, expressing hopes for closer cooperation and a stronger alliance.

In a joint session of the House and Senate, U.S. lawmakers affirmed Biden as the winner of the Nov. 3 presidential election. Biden finished with 306 electoral college votes while outgoing President Donald Trump had 232.

"Our government congratulates President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on the confirmation of the presidential election victory through the U.S. Congress' certification of electoral college results," Choi Young-sam, spokesman of the foreign ministry, said in a commentary.

"The government is looking forward to close communication and cooperation with the incoming Biden administration on the continued development of the firm South Korea-U.S. alliance, denuclearization and the establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and global pending issues including public health security and climate change," he added.

Before the congressional certification, extreme Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, creating an unprecedented scene of chaos at the legislature at the core of America's democracy. But Trump said that there will be an "orderly transition" until Biden takes over on Jan. 20.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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