Yoon attends state luncheon with VP Harris, Blinken

By Lee Haye-ah

WASHINGTON, April 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a state luncheon hosted by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, as the two countries marked the 70th anniversary of the bilateral alliance.

The luncheon was held at the State Department on the fourth day of Yoon's six-day state visit to the U.S., with the participation of more than 200 people from both countries.

"Over the past 70 years, the South Korea-U.S alliance has developed into the most successful alliance in history upon the soil of our war veterans' sacrifices," Yoon said.

"I plan to develop the alliance in a way that increases practical benefits for our two countries' peoples. Our future will be more brilliant than the past," he said.

Harris thanked Yoon for strengthening the ties between the two countries and for serving as a steadfast ally, partner and friend.

"I believe our nations and our people are increasingly bound together in a shared future and a common destiny," she said. "We are more interconnected and interdependent than we have ever been. And that, I believe, is to the benefit of all of humanity."

hague@yna.co.kr
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