Biden Hosts South Korean President at White House for Nuclear Threat Summit – UPI.com – Thelocalreport.in

Attendees wave flags in front of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden hosting the Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee for a State visit to the White House. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | license photo

Yoon’s visit comes “at a critical time as North Korea continues to develop its nuclear and missile capabilities,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said before the meeting, adding that Biden “ it will strengthen and enhance our expanded deterrence commitments to South Korea regarding the threat posed by the DPRK.”

Biden was expected to announce key US results during a joint news conference from the Rose Garden of the White House at 12:30 p.m.

And while Sullivan did not provide details on what steps the president would take to extend the nuclear deterrent in the region, he did say that Biden would send “a very clear and demonstrable signal of the credibility of the United States.”

Yoon arrived in Washington on Monday for the six-day visit that includes a state dinner Wednesday night at the White House before a speech to Congress on Thursday about the continuing threat posed by North Korea.

North Korean President Kim Jung Un has ordered nuclear rocket tests at an unprecedented rate over the past year and recently launched the country’s first solid-fueled ICBM, which analysts say could severely challenge defense systems. anti-missile.

Since Yoon took office last May, Seoul and Washington have strengthened defense ties and stepped up joint military exercises in the region. However, questions remain about the reliability of US protection over South Korea, with many prominent voices in the country calling on Seoul to establish its own nuclear arsenal.

In recent months, the Yoon administration has sought a greater contribution from the US while anticipating the need for a strong nuclear response to North Korea.

Ahead of the summit, diplomatic experts touted a multifaceted but friendly relationship between the longtime allies on North Korea and other global issues such as escalating Chinese hostilities and the war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Yoon’s visit was timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the US-South Korea alliance that emerged in the aftermath of the 1950-53 Korean War.

The two leaders will also discuss technological competition with China, economic issues in key industries including semiconductors, batteries and electric vehicles, cyber cooperation, climate change mitigation and foreign aid, among other topics.

A delegation of 122 business leaders from South Korea’s largest corporations traveled with Yoon in hopes of negotiating contentious aspects of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Science and Chips Act.

South Korean tech companies will also seek more clarity on how to navigate Washington’s new tech export controls against China after Yoon met Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos on Monday, who announced a $ 2.5 billion from the streaming platform in South Korea over the next four years.