Seoul: South Korea's National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik engaged in a telephonic conversation with the newly appointed U.S. counterpart, Mike Waltz, marking the first dialogue since the second Trump administration commenced. The two officials agreed to convene in Washington at an early date, as confirmed by Seoul's presidential office.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this call represented the first significant engagement between South Korea's Office of National Security and a senior U.S. security figure under the new administration. The conversation occurred amidst the political uncertainty in Seoul, following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol due to a failed martial law attempt in early December.
During their discussion, Shin and Waltz shared perspectives on the relationship between Seoul and Washington, issues related to North Korea, and trilateral cooperation with Japan. The presidential office noted that both parties concurred on the necessity of in-person discussions in the U.S. capital to delve deeper into these topics.
Shin extended his congratulations to Waltz on his appointment as the U.S. national security adviser and expressed confidence in the strengthening of the South Korea-U.S. alliance under the Trump administration. Waltz, in response, conveyed his anticipation for broadening bilateral cooperation in multiple areas, as stated by the office.