Foreign Minister Cho Hyun: “The South Korea-U.S. Alliance Has Not Collapsed” ... To Meet With Rubio the Day After Tomorrow for Talks

[Financial News] Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on the 27th that he would meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sometime this week to discuss various issues, including the South Korea-U.S. alliance. He also said that, contrary to concerns expressed in some quarters, there were no major problems with the alliance.
Appearing that day at a comprehensive parliamentary audit by the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Cho said, “I’m scheduled to meet with Secretary Rubio the day after tomorrow,” adding, “We’ll discuss the visa denial issue involving Rep. Jung Cheong-rae.”
The ruling party called for a letter to be sent at the foreign minister level regarding the denial of a visa for Rep. Jung Cheong-rae’s visit to the United States. Cho agreed that a letter would be sent. However, the ruling and opposition parties were divided over a proposal for the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee to send a letter to the United States regarding the denial of Rep. Jung’s visit.
Cho said there were no major problems in response to concerns about a disruption in the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
Cho said, “There are no problems with military cooperation between South Korea and the United States. There may be minor disagreements in South Korea-U.S. relations, but it is absurd to claim, as some have, that the relationship has collapsed.”
He went on to say, “Over breakfast with U.S. Ambassador Michelle Steel yesterday, I asked why they had brought up turbulence,” and added, “I told them that when a plane passes through turbulence, there’s no problem as long as you fasten your seat belt tightly, and the U.S. ambassador agreed.”
[email protected] Kim Kyung-soo Reporter