President Joe Biden of the United States and President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea met on Saturday. They said that they will consider expanding military exercises to dissuade North Korea’s nuclear threat at a time when real diplomacy seems unlikely.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States and South Korea issued a joint statement. They declared their commitment to a “rules-based international order.” The statement has set the tone for how the US and its allies will respond to any North Korean challenges.
The statement will enrage North Korea, which already blames its nuclear and missile development on perceived US threats. Despite the allies’ claims, it has long regarded to US-South Korean military exercises as invasion rehearsals.
Following WWII, the Korean peninsula was divided into two countries with vastly different cultures. In South Korea, where Biden held talks for increased cooperation. He toured industries for computer chips and next-generation automobiles. However, a deadly coronavirus outbreak has erupted in North Korea. There’s a largely unimmunized autocracy that can best demand the world’s attention by flexing its nuclear weapons.
Economic security and trade were also highlighted
Biden spent Saturday, as part of a five-day trip to Asia. He worked to strengthen his ties with Yoon, who took office just over a week ago.
In the run-up to the meeting, there have been concerns in Seoul that Washington is reverting to the Obama administration’s “strategic patience” policy. It’s a policy of ignoring North Korea until it demonstrates seriousness about denuclearization. As a result, the policy has been rebuked for ignoring North Korea’s nuclear weapons development.
Apart from North Korea, both leaders emphasized economic security and expanding trade ties. The two Korean industrial giants, Samsung and Hyundai, are opening significant plants in the United States. The Russian invasion of Ukraine sparked broader talks between the two countries and an unforeseen set of sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies.
South Korea joined the United States in imposing trade restrictions on Russia and obstructing Russian banks from using the SWIFT payment system. Its participation was critical in preventing Russia from obtaining computer chips and other technologies needed for weapons and economic growth.
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