Biden to host South Korea's Yoon for state visit on April 26: White House
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The state visit by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will be the second of US President Joe Biden's time in office.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden will host South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol for a state visit on April 26, said the White House on Tuesday.
“The upcoming visit celebrates the 70th anniversary of the US-ROK alliance, which is critical to advancing peace, stability and prosperity for our two countries, the Indo-Pacific and around the world,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement, referring to the Republic of Korea, the official name for South Korea.
The visit will highlight the United States’ “unwavering commitment” to South Korea, she said.
The state visit is the second of Mr Biden’s time in office, she added.
The US and South Korea have been holding increasing numbers of joint drills in the face of growing warnings from nuclear-armed North Korea.
Pyongyang has conducted a wave of banned weapons tests in recent months.
North Korea has said its nuclear weapons and missile programmes are for self-defence, and has bristled over US-South Korea military exercises, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion.
It warned earlier on Tuesday that it would be a “clear declaration of war” if its missiles were shot down during their test launches over the Pacific Ocean.
Later in March, the US and South Korean militaries will hold their largest joint drills in five years.
Ahead of those exercises, scheduled for at least 10 days starting on March 13, the allies held air drills featuring a nuclear-capable US B-52 heavy bomber.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused the US of “intentionally” ramping up tensions. REUTERS, AFP
