Biden and President-Elect Yoon Suk-yeol Affirm Strength of US-South Korea Alliance in Phone Call

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden and South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol have reaffirmed the strength of the alliance between their countries in a phone call, the White House said in a statement.

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) to congratulate him on his election. Together, they affirmed the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance, which is the linchpin for peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific", the statement said.

U.S. President Joe Biden reacts to questions about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer after it was reported Breyer will retire at the end of the court's current term, as he hosts chief executives of major U.S. companies at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 26, 2022.

© REUTERS / KEVIN LAMARQUE

"President Biden emphasised the United States’ commitment to the defence of the ROK and that he looks forward to working together to deepen cooperation on key global challenges, including climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and supply chains. The two also committed to maintain close coordination on addressing the threats posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear and missile programmes", it said.

Yoon, in turn, expressed respect for the US role regarding the Ukrainian issue amid Russia's special military operation in the country.

"Yoon Suk-yeol expressed respect for the way the United States, together with allies, manages the joint efforts of the international community in responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden also agreed that South Korea is playing a leading role in this", Yoon's party said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Yoon, a candidate from the conservative opposition People Power Party, was elected the president of South Korea with 48.56% of the vote. Voter turnout was 77.1%, more than 34 million people out of over 44 million voters cast their ballots.

On 24 Februar, Russia began a military operation in Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in countering the aggression of Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defence Ministry said the operation is only targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure.