Photo : YONHAP News
First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo has left for the United States after a phone call between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to the foreign ministry in Seoul on Monday, Park departed for the U.S. in the morning and is scheduled to meet U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau during his visit, which runs through Thursday.
Park’s visit has drawn attention as it comes immediately after the phone conversation between Lee and Trump, who exchanged views on the outcome of the recent U.S.-China summit, international affairs, and pending diplomatic and security issues between Seoul and Washington.
As North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, were reportedly a major focus of the call, Park is expected to hear details from U.S. officials regarding discussions on Pyongyang and Korean Peninsula issues during the U.S.-China summit.
The U.S. officials are also expected to fill Park in on the White House’s recent statement that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea.
Another key agenda item during Park’s visit is expected to be follow-up consultations on the South Korea-U.S. joint fact sheet, which mentions Seoul’s efforts to secure the right to engage in uranium enrichment and spent fuel processing and to build nuclear-powered submarines.