Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on the 22nd regarding the criticism of him as an 'anti-American' during his candidacy, 'I think that concern is very out-of-date.'
On the same day, during a keynote speech at a seminar hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea at a hotel in Seoul, the Prime Minister noted, 'In the 1980s, I raised the issue of whether the U.S. was supporting military dictatorship due to my involvement in the American Cultural Center incident, which led some to say, 'Aren't you anti-American?'
He stated, 'During the 12.3 military coup d'état, the United States understood where Korea stood as a democratic country and consistently supported Korea's path from a democratic perspective,' adding, 'The Korea-U.S. relationship has evolved into a much more mature, truly democratic value alliance.'
The Prime Minister emphasized that the constitution, democracy, human exchanges, the Pacific, and the future (semiconductors, AI, shipbuilding, North Korea) are key points of engagement between Korea and the United States.
In particular, he stated, 'I believe that for President Trump, for the United States, and for South Korea, the relationship with North Korea is not just a 'simple burden,' but has the potential to become a 'future asset.'
He also highlighted the potential of the strategic partnership between Korea and the United States, saying, 'The United States has experienced an invasion from Japan at Pearl Harbor, but Korea has no such history or experience.'
The Prime Minister noted, 'I can understand various policies aimed at making America strong again in the context of 'Make America Great Again (MAGA),' and that the United States will be stronger when it works together with Korea and maintains a proper cooperative relationship.'