FM Cho meets U.S. lawmakers to discuss alliance, regional security

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with U.S. lawmakers in Washington to discuss bilateral relations, regional security, and the Joint Fact Sheet (JFS), according to the foreign ministry. Cho, who visited Washington for three days, met separately with Sen. Bill Hagerty, Rep. Jim Jordan, and Rep. Gregory Meeks. He emphasized the growing importance of close cooperation between South Korea and the United States in light of rapidly changing international circumstances, urging active U.S. Congressional support for the implementation of the JFS.

The JFS, signed following a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and President Donald Trump, covers various commitments, including Seoul's pledge to invest $350 billion in the U.S. and cooperation in the nuclear sector and security-related issues. Hagerty commended Seoul's efforts to enhance trilateral cooperation with Washington and Tokyo, vowing continued support for the alliance.

Jordan stressed the importance of managing bilateral issues based on mutual trust and further strengthening the alliance. Meeks advocated for closer coordination between Seoul and Washington on peace and security issues, reaffirming that the U.S. Congress would maintain bipartisan support for the alliance, even after the November midterm elections.

Cho pledged to strengthen the alliance through active communication with the U.S. administration and Congress, and planned to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Friday before engaging with various officials through Saturday.