President Joe Biden will conclude a visit to South Korea on Sunday visiting with some of the nearly 30,000 American service members stationed here
Seoul Before President Joe Biden concluded a visit to South Korea on Sunday, he offered a brief message to the nuclear-armed dictator to the north, who US officials believe could be preparing for a provocation during the US leader's visit to Asia.
"Hello," Biden said when asked his message for Kim Jong Un."Period."The succinct greeting reflected the Biden administration's so-far-unsuccessful attempts at restarting diplomacy with Pyongyang. Attempts at outreach to the North have gone mostly unanswered. Instead, Kim has intensified missile launches and could be preparing for a seventh underground nuclear test. Biden said he was prepared for such contingencies to occur during his first trip to Asia. "We are prepared for anything North Korea does. We've had -- thought through how we're going to respond to whatever they do. And so I'm not concerned," Biden said. Read MoreHe was speaking before visiting with some of the nearly 30,000 American service members stationed here as a last stop on his visit to South Korea. The Americans deployed on the Korean Peninsula have long acted as a signal of US military strength in a region made anxious by the nuclear-armed nation to the north. Increasingly, they also act as a reminder of Western muscle in a region heavily influenced by China.Biden plans to observe a joint airspace control center where members of the US and South Korean militaries work alongside each other to monitor airspace made tense by North Korea's intensifying missile tests. Earlier in the day, the President met with Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun in Seoul, where he highlighted $11 billion in new investments from the Korean automaker, including $5.5 billion to open a new electric vehicle factory in Savannah, Georgia.5 Asian military hotspots and how they play into Biden's visitOne of Biden's primary objectives in visiting Asia this week has been to reaffirm his commitment to two key alliances while also seeking ways to further expand cooperation. He'll depart South Korea for Japan later in the day, bringing with him a similar message of reassurance that America's longtime ally in the Pacific can depend on the United States as a reliable security and economic partner.A day earlier, Biden and his South Korean counterpart, President Yoon Suk Yeol, wrote in a joint statement they were open to expanding joint military drills that Biden's predecessor scaled back, believing them too costly and provocative. Biden said cooperation between the two countries demonstrated"our readiness to take on all threats together."The expanded military exercises will be aimed at ensuring"what it takes to best ensure military readiness and best ensure our ability to work closely together," a senior administration official said Sunday, though declined to offer a timeline or guidance on the scope of the expanded drills."Mr. President, your country's democracy shows the power to be able to deliver for its people," Biden told Yoon during a toast at the start of a state dinner on Saturday evening."We're proud to say, the generals with me today can say as well, that our armed forces stand side by side, standing on a peninsula for seven decades to preserve the peace and make possible that shared prosperity."He was likely to take a similar message to Japan, which also hosts a sizable population of American service members and maintains a mutual defense treaty with the United States. Increased provocations from North Korea and territorial grabs by China have caused deep concern in the country, which has looked to the US for assurances about its security.Biden is expected to call on Emperor Naruhito at his imperial palace before meeting Monday with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office last fall. Later, he'll unveil the outlines of a trade plan for Asia that officials hope can generate wide support. And he'll conclude his visit with a summit of the Quad collective — comprised of the United States, Japan, India and Australia — that is widely seen as an attempt to counter China's military and economic ambitions.Japan turns away from post-WWII pacifism as China threat grows Biden has sought on his trip to link the parallel sets of economic and security issues that have emerged in his discussions with leaders. His trade outline, viewed as a scaled-down alternative to the Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact scrapped by his predecessor, is expected to place heavy emphasis on resilient supply chains decoupled from Chinese parts — a message he conveyed at multiple points in Seoul.Among the other myriad issues he hopes to raise — which include regional security, trade, the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war — is the question of improving ties between the two countries he is visiting this week. Relations between Japan and South Korea have worsened over recent years, a combination of long-simmering historical resentments and more recent trade actions.Biden told reporters in Seoul on Saturday"it's critically important" the US, South Korea and Japan have a"very close trilateral relationship."He said the current state of the world, where autocratic regimes like China and Russia have challenged democratic norms, demands the rest of the world stick together, despite lingering differences."Things have changed," Biden said during his news conference."There's a sense among the democracies in the Pacific that there's a need to cooperate much more closely, not just militarily but also economically and politically."
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Senate Ships $40B Ukraine Aid Bill to Biden for SignatureThe Senate has whisked a $40 billion package of military, economic and food aid for Ukraine and U.S. allies to final congressional approval. Thursday’s 86-11 vote puts a bipartisan stamp on America’s biggest commitment yet to turning Russia’s invasion into a painful quagmire for Moscow. The legislation was backed by every voting Democrat and most Republicans. At a time of widespread bipartisan gridlock, the lopsided vote signaled unity about sending Ukraine the materiel it needs to fend off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s more numerous forces. Democrats criticized the 11 Republican opponents, saying they’re following former President Donald Trump’s damaging isolationist impulses.
Read more »
Analysis: North Korea is facing a Covid disaster. What does that mean for Kim Jong Un?North Korean leader Kim Jong Un looks like he's in big trouble. His country has announced an 'explosive' outbreak of Covid-19, reporting more than 2 million cases of what it refers to as 'fever' in little more than a week since its first reported case.
Read more »
Biden suggests there is little chance of meeting with North Korea's Kim amid rising tensionsBiden on Saturday said that any meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would 'depend on whether he was sincere and whether he was serious.'
Read more »
Biden: Any meeting with North Korea's Kim depends on sincerityUS President Joe Biden says that any potential meeting with North Korea's leader will depend on whether Kim Jong-un is 'sincere'
Read more »
There’s One Reason Kim Jong Un Is Loving NK’s COVID OutbreakThe spread of COVID-19 in North Korea is not all bad news for leader Kim Jong Un. By locking down the entire country, he can assert the power of his regime as never before.
Read more »