Moon touts S. Korea-U.S. alliance as ‘linchpin’ of world peace

President Moon Jae-in on Friday lauded the decades-old alliance between Seoul and Washington, describing the partnership as a linchpin of world peace during a meeting with a group of visiting U.S. lawmakers at Cheong Wa Dae.

Moon hosted a reception for the visiting members of the U.S. Congressional Study Group on Korea (CSGK), a bipartisan study group on South Korea, at the presidential office. The CSGK, consisting of about 54 U.S. lawmakers, was launched in 2018 as part of diplomatic efforts to deepen ties between the two allies.

In the meeting, Moon assessed that Seoul-Washington relations were “opening up a new chapter of cooperation as a more comprehensive and mutually beneficial alliance” following his summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in late May.

Moon said that the two countries shared the understanding that their alliance “serves as the linchpin” for the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and the world, and that the countries were “communicating more closely than ever” compared to previous administrations to sustain their “powerful relationship.”

He also said that Washington’s recent donation of 1 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to South Korea was received well here, noting that reservations for the vaccine were closed within 18 hours.

President Moon Jae-in (L) greets a visiting delegation of the U.S. Congressional Study Group on Korea at the presidential office in Seoul on July 9, 2021. (Yonhap)

The president also asked for cooperation from the U.S. on the issue of increasing visa quotas for professional workers from South Korea.

Moon pointed out that the volume of professional visas issued to South Korean students in the U.S., at around 1,000 and 2,000 per year, was insufficient considering the size of the South Korean student community at around 50,000.

Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) also praised the results of the recent bilateral summit as a success and highlighted that the arrival of the CSGK delegation exemplified the importance of the U.S.-South Korea relationship. He also expressed thanks for Seoul’s support to the United States at the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Korean American Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) told Moon that she is proud of her Korean heritage and praised highly the two country’s summit agreement to cooperate in improving the human rights condition in North Korea.

Kim also asked for the South Korean government’s help to free two North Korean families that are reportedly in Chinese custody after having escaped from their home country. The congresswoman requested that Seoul contact Beijing to bring the families in question safely to South Korea.