South Korea's Deputy National Security Advisor Kim Hyun-chong is in Washington to discuss major trade and security issues with his U.S. counterparts.
The trip comes amid growing regional trade tensions after Japan imposed trade control measures on Seoul.
Speaking to reporters at Dallas International Airport on Wednesday, local time, Kim confirmed the trade spat will be one of the main topics of discussion.
Seoul's top diplomat for Bilateral Economic Affairs, Kim Hee-sang, is also in Washington, to meet his counterpart Roland de Macellus of the U.S. State Department.
He will also sit down with Marc Knapper, the State Department's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Korea and Japan to discuss "matters of mutual interest."
Kim is expected to explain the potential impact of Tokyo's controversial trade measures and the possible spillover effect on global businesses.
The South Korean officials are likely to ask Washington to diffuse the trade spat.
The new U.S. Assistant Secretary of State of East Asian and Pacific Affairs is starting his first overseas trip.
David Stilwell is touring Asia and his trip takes him to South Korea and Japan as they remain at odds over Tokyo's exports curbs.
Stilwell will be in Tokyo from Thursday until Sunday.
He will arrive in Seoul next Wednesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he is looking forward to working closely with Stillwell in leading many critical partnerships throughout the region.
The State Department has been keen to avoid the impression Stillwell will be taking sides between South Korea and Japan.
In the meantime, Seoul's foreign affairs minister Kang Kyung-wha and Mike Pompeo spoke over the phone, where they discussed Japan's export restrictions on South Korea.
U.S. Forces in South Korea have, for the first time, publicly acknowledged that North Korea has a missile that can reach ANY PART of the U.S. mainland – the Hwasong-15 I-C-B-M.
The U-S-F-K's Strategic Digest 2019, published on Thursday, says the Hwasong-15 can fly up to 13-thousand kilometers, putting the entire mainland in range.
In terms of North Korea's complete denuclearization, the report stressed there's still a lot of work to do, though North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered his nuclear and missile sites dismantled.
It added Kim has not made policy decisions that would lead to sanctions relief or foreign investments.
It was reported that he U.S.-led United Nations Command is seeking to include Japan as part of its "sending states" that would pave the way for its military involvement in the event of an armed conflict on the Korean peninsula.
Local media outlets in South Korea cited multiple government sources reported on Thursday the U.S. has been seeking to increase UNC's role in the region using troops, equipment in Japan's U.S. military base.
South Korea's National Assembly will hold its third and final interpellation session this afternoon – with the focus on culture, education and social issues.
Lawmakers are likely to grill government officials on the Moon administration's labor reforms, and its healthcare policies.
Source: Arirang News
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