Secretary of State John Kerry’s First Trip to Seoul

[성김 대사]

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made his first-ever trip to the Republic of Korea, April 12-13.  First leg of a busy three country tour of Northeast Asia, the Secretary’s timely visit to Seoul was extremely productive.  Given the recent developments on the Peninsula, North Korea was the main focus of the Secretary’s meetings and public comments.    

Arrival at Seoul Air Base

In fact, after the Secretary’s productive discussions with President Park and Foreign Minister Yun, the two sides issued a joint statement on our shared approach on North Korea, highlighting some very important points (click here for full text):

·         our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea in the wake of recent unacceptable provocations by North Korea;

·         our commitment and capability to defend ourselves and our allies, and both countries taking prudent measures to enhance our security;

·         importance of denuclearization of North Korea, commitment to peaceful denuclearization, and support for President Park’s trust building process on the Peninsula; and

·         both countries’ commitment to work with partners to encourage North Korea to live up to its obligations and make the right choice. 

The Secretary’s meeting with President Park, originally scheduled for 30 minutes, stretched well past an hour, an example of the depth and breadth of our countries' bilateral relationship.  It was a very substantive discussion on a wide range of issues starting with North Korea.  The Secretary’s discussion with Foreign Minister Yun also covered many important topics including preparations for President Park’s upcoming visit to the U.S.         

Secretary Kerry meets with President Park Geun-hye at the Blue House

A continuous theme throughout the day was the close relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea.  This year marks the 60^th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty and the launch of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Korea among other key events. 

“It’s a triple header,” Secretary Kerry said of the major milestones later in the evening while addressing the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea.  “The first anniversary of the KORUS FTA (South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement) is a grand slam.”  The Secretary said it best when he noted that over the last 60 years the United States and South Korea have built one of the strongest partnerships on the planet.

Secretary Kerry at AMCHAM in Korea

Despite his packed schedule, Secretary Kerry was able to set aside time to meet with Embassy Seoul staff and their family members.  Secretary Kerry seemed especially excited to see so many children and Korean staff come out early on a Saturday morning to see him.  He went out of his way to praise all the Korean employees of the Embassy as he rightfully pointed out that we could not accomplish all the great work that we do without them.  He even called all the kids there to come up onto the stage, explaining that once upon a time, he had been a Foreign Service kid, just like them.

Secretary Kerry with Younger Members of the Embassy Community

Secretary Kerry finished his Asia trip by moving on to Beijing and Tokyo, where he continued to forge a united front with other important countries in this crucially important region.  It was a great visit and we look forward to welcoming the Secretary back to Seoul.