President Yoon Suk Yeol embarks on state visit to the United States

Diplomacy

Published: 24 Apr. 2023, 12:59 Updated: 24 Apr. 2023, 19:09

President Yoon Suk Yeol embarks on state visit to the United States

President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee bid farewell as they are about to depart on the presidential jet at Seoul Air Base in Gyeonggi, kicking off a weeklong state visit to the United States Monday. [YONHAP]

President Yoon Suk Yeol hinted at the possibility of providing an artillery supply to Ukraine while again stressing the need to move forward with Japan.

Yoon made the comments in an interview with the Washington Post that was published on the day Yoon embarked for the United States on Monday.

"Of course, Ukraine is under an illegal invasion," Yoon said in the interview while noting the need for aid.

He said what aid Korea will provide to Ukraine and how it will be supplied will be determined by the relationship Korea has with the two warring countries.

Since the war broke out last year, the Korean government's official stance has been to support Ukraine with only humanitarian aid.

However, there has been growing pressure, especially from the U.S., to contribute more.

In response to this pressure, the Korean government announced on Monday that it would expand export bans of strategic goods to Russia and its ally Belarus.

Since February, Korea has placed restrictions on 57 items when shipped to Russia. This time, 741 more items were added to the export restriction list, bringing the total to 798 items.

Yoon also talked about Korea's need to move forward in its relationship with Japan.

"I can't accept the notion that because of what happened 100 years ago, something is absolutely impossible [to do] and that they [Japanese] must kneel [for forgiveness] because of our history 100 years ago," Yoon was quoted as saying.

The president noted that even European countries, which have been at war with each other for centuries, have found a way to cooperate, an argument that he has made since his visit to Tokyo in March.

Yoon has been vehemently attacked by opposition parties on his stance on Japan, with many criticizing that Korea has given everything while receiving nothing in return from Japan.

Also on Monday, the Korean government reinstated Japan onto its white list for preferential treatment in trade for the first time in nearly four years.

Japan has yet to do the same, as Korea still remains excluded from its white list.

Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee took off on Monday for a week-long state visit to the U.S., where he will be meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss strengthening security and economic cooperation while celebrating the 70th anniversary of the alliance.

The first couple departed on the presidential jet from Seoul Air Base in Gyeonggi at around 12:50 p.m., kicking off a two-legged trip that will take them to Washington and Boston.

This marks the first state visit by a Korean president to the United States in 12 years. Yoon also will be the second state guest to be hosted by Biden.

Yoon will be accompanied by a 122-member business delegation, the largest one since he took office. The delegation includes leaders of Korea's top conglomerates, including Samsung, SK, Hyundai, LG and Lotte, but is mostly comprised of small- and medium-sized companies.

On Monday, Yoon is expected to meet with overseas Koreans living in Washington.

Yoon will take part in a series of business events during his trip, including a business forum in Washington on Tuesday.

Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, along with Yoon and Kim, are expected to visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the Biden couple will host a bilateral summit at the White House to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance. The two countries' leaders will take part in an official arrival ceremony, a summit at the Oval Office, followed by a joint press conference at the Rose Garden and a state dinner joined by the first ladies.

The summit is expected to be an opportunity to discuss U.S. commitment to extended deterrence and a coordinated response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, as well as issues related to economic security and supply chain stability.

The trip comes as China and Russia have been bristling in recent days over comments Yoon made in an interview with Reuters last week describing the Taiwan issue as a "global" matter and about providing military support to Ukraine.

Korean American chef Edward Lee was selected as the guest chef for the state dinner by first lady Jill Biden "because of his experience with the intersection of American cuisine with Korean influence," according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a press briefing Friday.

Broadway stars Norm Lewis, Lea Salonga and Jessica Vosk will perform at the dinner.

On Thursday, Yoon will give an address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress.

Yoon plans to award the Taegeuk Order of Military Merit to three American service members who fought for South Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War at a luncheon event during the trip, the presidential office said in a statement Sunday.

The event will be attended by some 300 key figures from Korea and the United States "who symbolize the past, present and future of the Korea-U.S. alliance," according to the office, and commemorate the sacrifices of Korean War veterans.

Retired Army Col. Ralph Puckett, retired Navy Capt. Elmer Royce Williams and late 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez, who served in the Marine Corps, will be awarded the highest military order by Yoon at the event.

This will be the first time a Korean president will bestow a military order outside of the country.

Joseph McChristian Jr., a grandson of Gen. James Alward Vanas Fleet, commander of the U.S. 8th Army from 1951-53, and Paik Nam-hee, eldest daughter of Gen. Paik Sun-yup, commander of the Korean Army's 1st Division and a Korean War hero, will attend the luncheon.

Yoon will also receive a briefing from U.S. military leaders.

Yoon will head to Boston later Thursday.

On Friday, he is set to visit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.

Yoon will become the first Korean president to give an address at Harvard and speak on the theme of freedom.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]