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Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. agree to 'promptly' hold in-person meeting

Published: 21 Dec. 2024, 11:45 Updated: 21 Dec. 2024, 12:13

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, left, shakes hands with his U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken after their talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 14. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States agreed on Saturday to "promptly" hold an in-person meeting, according to Seoul's Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, made the agreement amid political turmoil in South Korea in the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment by the National Assembly on Dec. 14 over his short-lived imposition of martial law earlier this month.

"The two sides agreed to coordinate their schedules to promptly hold an in-person meeting," the ministry said in a press release.

Cho also called for efforts to maintain and develop the bilateral alliance under South Korea's acting president, citing phone talks between acting President Han Duck-soo and U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this week.

He also called for joint efforts so that the results of the cooperation between the allies and those with Japan continue to develop under the incoming U.S. administration, according to the ministry.

The ministry said Blinken agreed with Cho and expressed confidence in Han and the resilience of South Korea's democracy.

He also reaffirmed that the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea remains unchanged and called for coordination to develop the bilateral alliance and the trilateral cooperation with Japan until the end of the Biden administration, it said.

Cho and Blinken previously held phone talks on Dec. 6 to discuss Yoon's declaration of martial law three days prior and to reaffirm the bilateral alliance.