US lawmakers tell South Korean Foreign Minister that America will not pull out of Indo-Pacific

Seoul, April 14 (IANS) A group of US lawmakers told South Korea's top diplomat Monday that America will not withdraw from the Indo-Pacific region as they reaffirmed their commitment to the bilateral alliance, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said.

Members of the US Congressional Study Group on Korea, a bipartisan study group on South Korea, made the remarks during their meeting with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in Seoul, held as part of their trip to South Korea this week.

The lawmakers, including Reps. Ami Bera (D-CA) and Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA), described the South Korea-US alliance as playing an important role for regional peace and stability, noting that it has bipartisan support, according to the ministry.

They also noted the resiliency of South Korea's democracy during the meeting, which took place after former President Yoon Suk Yeol's ouster earlier this month, Yonhap news agency reported. Cho thanked the lawmakers for the trust and support US Congress extended while his country experienced recent political uncertainties, it said.

On April 4, the Constitutional Court upheld Yoon's impeachment over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December, removing him from office.

Cho also called for Congress' interest in ensuring conditions for South Korean companies to invest stably in the United States and lifting South Korea's "sensitive country" designation by the Energy Department.

He also requested their support for economic cooperation in shipbuilding, artificial intelligence and other sectors, noting that South Korea is an important investor and partner for the US.

Earlier in the day, South Korea's Acting President Han Duck-soo said that US President Donald Trump "apparently" instructed his administration to conduct immediate tariff negotiations with South Korea, Japan and India.

Han made the remark during a meeting with government officials and large business executives, referring to Trump's actions after they held a phone call last week.

"We discussed what we are going to do regarding the implementation of the United States' reciprocal tariffs, and which subjects South Korea and the US will hold negotiations on," the Acting President said.

"President Trump was very satisfied and apparently gave instructions (to his aides) to hold immediate negotiations with South Korea, Japan and India," he added.

The basis for Han's remark was not clear, but the same day that Han and Trump spoke by phone Tuesday, Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council, told Fox News that Trump "obviously prioritizes two of our closest allies and trading partners, Japan and Korea," in tariff negotiations.

The next day, Trump announced a 90-day pause in the implementation of the "reciprocal" tariffs, including 25 per cent for South Korea.

"If necessary, I will directly communicate with President Donald Trump and make efforts to come up with a solution," Han said, vowing to push for a negotiating team led by Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun to visit the US at an early date.

"It appears South Korea and the US will establish a negotiation system for all sectors and begin negotiations at an early date to produce detailed measures," Han said, noting he expects the two sides to hold a videoconference "in the next one or two days" regarding cooperation on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Alaska.

--IANS

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