South Korea vows to keep US talks going after Democrats win Congress

"We will continue consultations with the U.S. administration, as well as Congress and state governments, to ensure that our companies' investment activities in the U.S. proceed smoothly," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said. He said Seoul would also reach out to congressional leaders, key committee members, newly elected lawmakers and Korean American members of Congress as the new legislature takes shape, and would work to deepen the alliance into what he called a future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance.

The election results have raised questions in Seoul about whether the change in congressional control could affect momentum behind key bilateral issues, including nuclear fuel-cycle cooperation, South Korea's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and Korean investment in the US. The two nations have yet to make substantial progress implementing security commitments outlined in a joint fact sheet released in November last year, following the October summit between President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump.

Under the summit agreements, the two sides agreed to work toward expanding South Korea's rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes under the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement, known as the 123 Agreement. Washington also approved Seoul's plan to build nuclear-powered attack submarines and pledged to work closely with it on requirements for the project, including ways to source fuel.

Follow-up consultations have been slow. The inaugural working-level meeting, initially expected earlier this year, was held in Seoul in June after being postponed amid Washington's focus on other priorities, including the conflict in the Middle East, and delays in Seoul's process for implementing its US investment pledge. A second round, initially planned for July in the US, has yet to be scheduled.

Some observers say Trump's weakened political standing could add uncertainty to the process, given that some commitments, including those on nuclear-powered submarines, stemmed largely from political understandings reached between the two leaders. A foreign ministry official said communication channels between the two governments remain active, citing the summit between Lee and Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September. "Working-level discussions on preparations for the bilateral security consultations are continuing," the official said, adding that Seoul's position is to make progress as soon as possible.