(3rd LD) Biden, Yoon to hold bilateral summit in Washington next month: White House

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from South Korean national security adviser in last 4 paras)
By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, March 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will visit the United States next month for a summit with President Joe Biden, the White House said Tuesday.

"President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee of the Republic of Korea (ROK) for a State Visit to the United States, which will include a state dinner, on April 26, 2023," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a released statement, referring to South Korea by its official name.

She noted Yoon's upcoming trip will mark the second state visit by a foreign leader to the U.S. since Biden took office in January 2021.

"The upcoming visit celebrates the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance, which is critical to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity for our two countries, the Indo-Pacific, and around the world," the released statement said.

"President Biden and President Yoon will highlight the importance and enduring strength of the ironclad U.S.-ROK alliance as well as the United States' unwavering commitment to the ROK," it added.

South Korea and the U.S. signed their Mutual Defense Treaty 70 years ago in October 1953.

The Biden-Yoon summit comes amid unprecedented nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

Pyongyang fired a record 69 ballistic missiles last year, far exceeding its previous annual record of 25 ballistic missiles launched in a single year.

Jean-Pierre later said Yoon's visit will highlight the U.S.-South Korea alliance that she said has reached "unprecedented heights."

"Under President Biden, we have taken the U.S.-ROK partnership to unprecedented heights in a way that benefits our economies and our people and strengthened deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region," she told a daily press briefing.

"The state visit will only strengthen and deepen U.S.-ROK ties and we are looking forward to celebrating the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance here at the White House," she added.

Kim Sung-han, South Korea's national security adviser, said President Yoon's U.S. trip will provide an opportunity to strengthen U.S. extended deterrence.

The U.S. and South Korea "have agreed to actively seek ways to enhance the implementation of the South Korea-U.S. alliance's extended deterrence on the occasion of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the U.S.," he said while meeting with reporters in Washington.

Kim arrived in the city Sunday for talks with his U.S. counterpart, Jake Sullivan, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"The U.S. hopes it will be an opportunity for the U.S. to reaffirm its strong commitment to extended deterrence and for the South Korean public to have confidence in the U.S.' security commitment," Kim said.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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