Korea's top diplomat seeks congressional backing before Rubio talks in Washington

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday during a visit to the United States for talks with his U.S. counterpart.

Having exchanged views on the Korea-U.S. relationship and key bilateral issues, Cho's meetings with lawmakers on the first day of his visit appear aimed at securing congressional interest and support for cooperation between the two countries, particularly on economic and trade issues.

Cho met separately with Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York after arriving in Washington on Thursday afternoon, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Cho asked for active support from Congress to ensure the swift implementation of the Joint Fact Sheet from last year's Korea-U.S. summit, stressing that cooperation between the two countries is more important than ever amid rapidly changing international circumstances.

Hagerty reportedly praised Korea for developing the alliance in a mutually beneficial manner on the back of its economic growth. He also said he would continue supporting Korean companies operating in his home state of Tennessee.

Jordan stressed that pending issues between the two countries should be managed smoothly based on mutual trust. He also called for continued communication to ensure the Korea-U.S. relationship develops in a mutually beneficial direction.

Meeks emphasized the importance of close coordination between Seoul and Washington to build peace on the Korean Peninsula and jointly address challenges facing the international community. He also called for discussions on how Congress could support further bilateral cooperation, building on bipartisan congressional backing for the Korea-U.S. alliance.

“We will continue to further strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance through active communication not only with the U.S. administration but also with Congress,” Cho said, asking lawmakers to maintain their support and interest in the alliance after the U.S. midterm elections in November.

Cho is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday morning, the second day of his U.S. visit. The two are expected to exchange views on key bilateral issues as well as developments on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.

BY SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]