Yoon meets ex-US Secretary Pompeo, discusses Korean Peninsula issues

Seoul, May 23 (IANS) South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol met with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula, as well as the Seoul-Washington alliance, the presidential office said on Thursday.

During the meeting held in Seoul with Pompeo, who served as the top US diplomat under then President Donald Trump from 2018 to 2021, Yoon asked him to continue to pay close attention to South Korea’s efforts to seek peace on the Korean Peninsula backed by the strong alliance, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Yoon also expressed his willingness to enhance cooperation with the United States on North Korea and to pursue closer trilateral cooperation involving Japan.

In response, Pompeo was quoted by the presidential office as saying that the alliance between Seoul and Washington has become stronger under the leadership of Yoon, whose administration shares common values with the US.

Pompeo added that he hopes the alliance will keep developing regardless of the political situation in the U.S. and wishes for closer bilateral cooperation, as well as strengthened trilateral ties, regarding North Korean issues.

–IANS

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