Michael DeSombre, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, is set to visit South Korea next week. During his visit, he will meet with high-ranking officials from the South Korean government to engage in comprehensive discussions on various issues pertaining to the U.S.-South Korea alliance.
The State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday that DeSombre will embark on a trip to Tokyo, Seoul, and Ulaanbaatar from March 9 to 17. The purpose of this visit is to strengthen cooperation with Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia on shared priorities across the Indo-Pacific region.
As the top-ranking official responsible for designing, coordinating, and overseeing East Asia and Pacific strategies and foreign policy within the State Department, DeSombre plays a crucial role in shaping U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region.
During his visit to Seoul, DeSombre is expected to meet with his counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Jeong Eui-hye, and potentially pay a courtesy call to First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo. These meetings are likely to cover a wide range of topics related to the U.S.-South Korea alliance.
Of particular interest will be discussions on the delayed negotiations regarding the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines and amendments to the nuclear agreement between the two countries. These talks, initially slated for January, were postponed to late February due to U.S. commitments and have since been indefinitely delayed due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
Another key topic of discussion may be the potential deployment of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea to address the prolonged Middle East crisis. There are concerns that if the conflict between the U.S. and Iran escalates, the U.S. might consider redeploying Patriot missile batteries from South Korea to bolster air defenses in the Middle East.
The visit is also likely to include an assessment of North Korea’s recent actions, particularly Kim Jong Un’s reaffirmation of a hardline stance toward the U.S. and South Korea during the 9th Party Congress. It’s worth noting that DeSombre recently met with Jeong Yeon-doo, South Korea’s chief representative for North Korean nuclear negotiations, in Washington, D.C.
This high-level visit comes on the heels of another significant diplomatic engagement, occurring just two weeks after Michael Needham, a close advisor to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visited South Korea and held meetings with Foreign Minister Park Jin.