Kim Hee-sang (L), deputy foreign minister for bilateral economic affairs, and Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, talk in the foreign ministry building in Seoul on June, 13, 2025, in this photo provided by the ministry. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A senior U.S. diplomat reaffirmed Friday the alliance with South Korea remains a “linchpin of security” in the Indo-Pacific, in the first visit by a U.S. official since the launch of the government of President Lee Jae-myung.
Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, made the remarks as he arrived at the foreign ministry in Seoul for talks with ministry officials.
“I think the alliance remains a linchpin of security in the Indo-Pacific and that’s something we agreed on, we have agreed on, for many, many years and across many administrations, both in the U.S. and here,” O’Neill told reporters.
“I think that’s clearly going to be the case with the Trump administration and the Lee administration,” he said.
O’Neill said he would discuss how the allies can work together to make the alliance “always fit for purpose.”
“That it is always ready to defend the United States, ready to defend South Korea and promote our partnership,” he said.
O’Neill met separately with Cho Koo-rae, vice minister responsible for intelligence and North Korea’s nuclear issues, and Kim Hee-sang, deputy foreign minister for bilateral economic affairs.
The foreign ministry said the two sides agreed to strengthen communication at all levels, especially given the launch of the new South Korean government, and to continue discussing policy coordination on tariffs.
Welcoming O’Neill, Cho said the two allies will continue working to “open the door to dialogue by easing tensions and building trust with North Korea, and to make progress toward peace on the Korean Peninsula and the resolution of North Korean nuclear issue.”
Following the meeting with Cho, O’Neill said they discussed security issues related to North Korea.
“Obviously, that’s a major focus of the alliance. We also talked about other strategic and security interests that we think South Korea and the United States share together, and how we can work together to face those (issues),” he said.
Discussions also likely have touched on the Donald Trump administration’s call for allies to increase their defense burden-sharing amid speculation that Trump could demand a rise in Seoul’s share of the cost for stationing the 28,500-strong U.S. troops on its soil.
O’Neill’s visit came amid expectations that Lee could have his first one-on-one meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit set to take place in Alberta, Canada, from Sunday through Tuesday.
O’Neill has led the bureau as Michael DeSombre, Trump’s nominee for assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, undergoes Senate confirmation procedures.
(Yonhap)
