On January 23, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with Vice President JD Vance at the White House in Washington, D.C. to discuss follow-up negotiations on U.S.-Korea tariffs, Coupang, and strategies for North Korea talks.
At a press briefing held at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, Kim reported that he urged Vice President Vance to actively pursue the joint fact sheet’s follow-up measures resulting from the U.S.-Korea tariff negotiations initiated by both presidents. He also expressed Korea’s interests in shipbuilding, nuclear-powered submarines, and nuclear fuel reprocessing.
Kim added that Vance strongly agreed and acknowledged similar bureaucratic delays in the U.S. Vance suggested setting specific timelines to track progress and verify the fact sheet’s implementation.
During the meeting, Kim revealed that Vance inquired about the massive data breach at Coupang and the arrest of Pastor Son Hyun-bo for alleged election law violations.
He noted that Vance was curious about the aspects of Coupang’s system that were problematic in Korea.
Kim explained that there was a significant 15-month delay in reporting the breach, which compromised a substantial amount of citizens’ data. He also mentioned recent unfounded accusations from investors labeling the president and prime minister as anti-American and pro-China.
The Prime Minister emphasized that he clearly communicated the absence of discriminatory treatment against American companies. Vance acknowledged the possibility of legal issues within Korea’s system.
Kim added that Vance requested careful management of this issue to prevent misunderstandings between the two governments.
After discussing Coupang and Pastor Son, Kim noted that Vance sought advice on improving U.S. relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Kim suggested that only President Donald Trump possesses both the will and capability to improve relations. He advised that sending a special envoy to North Korea, whether through Vice President Vance or by expanding the role of U.S. envoys, could be an approach to express the intent for improved relations.
Regarding Pastor Son’s arrest, Kim explained that politics and religion are strictly separated in Korea, and an investigation into election law violations is ongoing.
The meeting, which was scheduled for 40 minutes, lasted about 50 minutes. Both leaders exchanged compliments about the U.S.-Korea alliance and shared views on its importance.
Prime Minister Kim, who arrived in Washington, D.C. on January 22, plans to travel to New York after the press conference and return to Korea on Monday.
This visit marks the first by a South Korean Prime Minister to the U.S. in 41 years, following former Prime Minister Roh Shin-young’s visit in 1985. Previously, Prime Ministers visited the U.S. in 1953 for armistice agreement discussions and in 1967 regarding Vietnam War participation.