WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement Thursday after meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea:
“I was honored today to welcome President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea to the Capitol. The president’s visit underscores our two countries’ strong democracies, innovative free enterprise economies, and commitment to a vital military alliance in the face of shared challenges.
“The most obvious threat to our ironclad alliance is the one posed by Kim Jong-Un’s increasingly bellicose authoritarian regime just north of the DMZ. North Korea has a growing nuclear and missile arsenal. It continues to brutally repress the people under its thumb.
“But our collective security is also threatened by revanchist powers like Russia and the People’s Republic of China. Whether Russia’s aggression in Ukraine succeeds or fails will have significant ripple effects throughout Asia, where authoritarian states are just as eager to redraw borders and run roughshod over sovereignty.
“Today, our deep cooperation with the Republic of Korea on military readiness is more important than ever. Deterring our shared challenges means making sustained investments in cutting-edge, interoperable technologies. It means continual participation in joint military exercises. And it means a long-term commitment to robust trade that secures our supply chains among trusted partners.
“I was glad to meet with President Yoon as our countries chart this future together.”
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