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South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun responds to reporters’ questions after arriving at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC, on Sept. 9. (Yonhap News)

South Korean First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-kun stressed the importance of the South Korea-US alliance, calling it a “linchpin of foreign affairs and national security” in a visit to the US on Sept. 9.

Choi’s remarks came upon his arrival at Dulles International Airport near Washington, DC, that morning. In response to a reporter’s comment that the US “seems to want to bring South Korea a bit closer to its position on China,” Choi said, “I’m not sure what you mean by ‘bring closer,’ but the relationship between the Republic of Korea and the United States is an alliance. That alliance is the linchpin of our foreign affairs and national security.”

He went on to say, “While we are part of an alliance with the US, we are also close to China geographically and very close to it economically.”

“We will be listening a bit more to what kind of vision and roadmap the US has, and if we have an opinion to share, we will share it,” he added.

“It’s a bit different from what the media are talking about in terms of us leaning too hard in one direction,” he said.

When asked whether his remarks meant that Seoul was “equidistant” from Washington and Beijing, Choi said, “We’re not equidistant, because the alliance is fundamental.”

Promoted last month from Blue House presidential secretary for peace planning to first vice minister of foreign affairs, Choi had an introductory telephone conversation on Sept. 2 with his US counterpart, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, and made Washington his first overseas stop. He met with White House officials on Sept. 9 and with Biegun the following day.

Coming amid an intensifying strategic rivalry between the US and China, Choi’s remarks simultaneously underscored the importance of the South Korea-US alliance in foreign affairs and national security and reiterated South Korea’s economic closeness to China. Recently, the US has been moving to take the next step in its Indo-Pacific strategy to contain China by expressing its hopes for South Korea’s participation alongside Japan, Australia, and India in an upgraded multilateral “Quad-plus” security framework.

Regarding the aims of his US visit, Choi said, “Due to the severity of the COVID-19 situation, there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed between South Korea and the US.” In particular, he mentioned cooperation on health and disease prevention measures, issues involving communication between Seoul and Washington, and an interim examination of projects carried out over the past three years between the Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump administrations.

“We will also likely be discussing a few matters regarding how we can promote the alliance more, as Deputy Secretary Biegun said,” he added.

Commenting on a potential show of military force by North Korea or an October surprise (an event specifically timed to influence an election) ahead of the US presidential election on Nov. 3, Choi said, “We share the same situation and perceptions.” When asked whether Biegun had brought up the negotiation of US Forces Korea defense cost-sharing during their conversation on Sept. 2, Choi said, “We still haven’t spoken about any specific issues.”

“[The conversation] was a reflection of continuity in our telephone dialogue,” he added.

By Hwang Joon-bum, Washington correspondent

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