South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha. [Yonhap]
South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha. [Yonhap]

South Korean Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-wha, who returned home temporarily for bilateral consultations, attended a standing committee meeting of the National Security Council.

The National Security Office said Thursday it convened an NSC standing committee meeting chaired by National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac to review pending trade and security issues between South Korea and the United States.

The meeting brought together standing committee members — including Wi, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun — along with Ambassador Kang and representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Korea Fair Trade Commission. Participants reviewed key bilateral issues and discussed strategies for a coordinated response.

"The more uncertainty rises in the external environment, the more important it is to align our response measures to protect national interests on the basis of shared understanding," Wi said. "Since the South Korea-US relationship combines trade and security, multiple ministries must cooperate organically to advance it to the next level."

Cheong Wa Dae said the National Security Office would continue to coordinate security strategy in a way that maximizes national interests through ongoing inter-agency cooperation, in line with the growing convergence of trade issues and security agendas.


sang@heraldcorp.com