Key facts
- President Lee Jae Myung stressed the importance of the U.S. alliance.
- Lee stated that a submissive stance should be shunned in diplomacy.
- Diplomacy should focus on safeguarding national interests, Lee said.
- Differences between countries are normal and should be managed, according to Lee.
- South Korea faces limitations in intelligence sharing by the U.S.
- Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha acknowledged communication limitations with the White House.
President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday emphasized the importance of South Korea's alliance with the United States, while also stating that a submissive stance should be shunned in pursuing diplomacy. The president made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting amid concerns over apparent friction in the Seoul-Washington alliance, highlighted by South Korea facing limitations in intelligence sharing by the U.S.
Lee said diplomacy should be focused on safeguarding national interests, noting that differences can always arise between countries. "The guiding principle of South Korea's diplomacy is pragmatism. The most important thing for South Korea is its national interests," Lee stressed.
His remarks come as South Korea continues to face restrictions on intelligence sharing by Washington, reportedly over the South Korean unification minister's previous remarks identifying North Korea's Kusong as a site housing a uranium enrichment facility. Washington is believed to have protested the remarks as a unilateral disclosure of intelligence shared by the U.S.