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Cho Tae-yong, South Korea’s ambassador to the US, speaks at an event in this undated photo. (Washington correspondents pool)

South Korea’s ambassador to the US told reporters that President Yoon Suk-yeol had met with President Joe Biden of the US three times on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, resulting in the “meaningful outcome” of reaffirming their commitment to working together to solve pending bilateral issues such as the Inflation Reduction Act.

“We discussed our industry's concerns regarding the Inflation Reduction Act at the summit level and confirmed our sincere will to cooperate on this issue,” Cho told press correspondents in Washington on Monday.

In other words, Cho said that the leaders of South Korea and the US did in fact have rather meaningful talks, including their 48-second conversation, such as on the issue of South Korean-made electric vehicles being excluded from tax credits as a result of the new legislation.

Regarding this issue, Cho said, “Given the US political situation ahead of the midterm elections, there are difficulties,” but added that the South Korean government is “urging the US Congress and administration to seek solutions that reflect our interests.”

As public criticism of the Yoon administration mounted over its failure to hold a summit with the US despite the presidential office attesting one would take place, the mere 48-second chat held between Yoon and Biden, and the purported controversial comments by the South Korean president caught on a hot mic, Cho’s remarks seem to be an attempt to offer an explanation at the level of Korea’s embassy to the US.

Initially, South Korea and the US were aiming for a bilateral summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, but a formal meeting between the two leaders fell through due to Biden’s shortened time in New York as a result of his attendance at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

Regarding Yoon’s controversial comments in New York, the ambassador said, “We made it clear to a senior White House National Security Council (NSC) official that [Yoon’s] remarks that were being reported by the media were not directed at the US,” adding that the NSC responded by saying they “understand” and that there is “no problem.”

“Coverage that is not based on facts could turn into a burden for the South Korea-US alliance,” Cho said, striking a similar tone to Yoon's remarks about recent media coverage “damaging the alliance.”

After Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for press affairs, explained on Thursday that the president was “not referring to Biden” in his comments, Cho is said to have tried to convey this explanation to the NSC and to seek their understanding of the situation.

By Lee Bon-young, Washington correspondent

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