Seoul: A senior U.S. diplomat will visit South Korea this week as part of a multi-nation trip aimed at highlighting the United States' commitment to alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, the State Department said Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, from Friday through next Thursday, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to Korea, Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. His visit will focus on fostering collaboration, enhancing security, and deepening economic ties as Washington seeks a "free, open and prosperous" Indo-Pacific.
Landau's visit to Korea comes in the wake of public outrage over the detention of more than 310 South Koreans in a recent immigration crackdown. They returned home aboard a chartered plane on Thursday morning, a week after their arrest.
In Seoul, the deputy secretary plans to meet South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and business leaders, according to the department.
Following his stop in South Korea, Landau will travel to Port Moresby to participate in events marking Papua New Guinea's 50th anniversary of independence. He will also engage with Pacific Island leaders at the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Roundtable, before traveling to the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
"This visit demonstrates the United States' ongoing efforts to deepen partnerships and advance shared priorities across the region," the department said.