The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul following the 6th U.S.-Republic of Korea Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and ROK Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Cho discussed shared concerns over deepening ties between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including the deployment of DPRK troops to the Kursk Oblast of Russia. They also spoke about efforts to further strengthen bilateral cooperation on the full range of global and regional issues. The two officials acknowledged a shared commitment to deepening the U.S.-ROK Alliance, which continues to be the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity for the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.