On the 22nd (local time), three days before the Korea-U.S. summit between President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Arriving in Washington, D.C., for a sudden business trip on the 21st, Minister Park met with Secretary Rubio on the same day, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed on the 23rd that they reviewed future-oriented agendas and various achievements in areas such as security, economy, and technology that would be discussed at the summit.
Minister Park emphasized the historical significance and importance of this Korea-U.S. summit and requested Secretary Rubio to make special efforts to ensure a successful meeting.
In response, Secretary Rubio expressed agreement on the significance and importance of the first Korea-U.S. summit, stating, "I expect it to be a constructive and productive meeting that brings wins for both sides," and promised to do his best for this.
In particular, Secretary Rubio noted that President Lee Jae-myung's decision to visit Japan first before coming to the U.S. is "a wise choice" and added that the U.S. will continue to work on strengthening Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation.
The U.S. Department of State also released a statement by Deputy Spokesperson Tomi R. Pigott, stating that the two men emphasized the ongoing strength of the Korea-U.S. alliance, which has maintained peace, security, and prosperity in the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific for over 70 years.
Pigott also stated that "the two ministers discussed ways to advance the Korea-U.S. alliance centered on future-oriented agendas that enhance deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region, expand collective burden-sharing, support the revival of U.S. manufacturing, and restore fairness and reciprocity," adding that they also reinforced the importance of trilateral cooperation among Korea, the U.S., and Japan.
The enhancement of deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region and expanded collective burden-sharing is part of the modernization discussions the U.S. desires for its alliances, interpreted as a request for Korea to play a greater role in countering China, leaving attention on how it will be discussed at the summit.
The two ministers also exchanged views on North Korean issues and the regional situation in Northeast Asia. Minister Park explained Korea's willingness for dialogue with North Korea and efforts to build trust, and both sides agreed to maintain close coordination regarding policies related to North Korea.
The two ministers also evaluated the tariff agreement reached last July, agreeing to continue encouraging ongoing discussions among trade authorities to smoothly address unresolved issues.
Also present at the meeting was Andrew Baker, Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Assistant to the President.
Meanwhile, Minister Park met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick at the White House, urging the swift conclusion of follow-up consultations on Korea-U.S. tariffs to ensure smooth preparations for the Korea-U.S. summit.
The agenda for the summit related to cooperation in the industry, energy, and trade fields, as well as the trade agreement recently reached between Korea and the U.S., is being coordinated with U.S. counterparts by Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan and Deputy Minister Yeo Han-koo, who arrived in the U.S. that day. Minister Kim met in the afternoon with Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, while Deputy Minister Yeo met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer the day before.