**[Washington Yonhap News] Yoonhee Lee, Special Correspondent** – On the 6th (local time), Shin Won-sik, the head of the National Security Office, held a press conference at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., following the first U.S.-South Korea National Security Office meeting since the inauguration of the Trump administration.
**[Seoul Yonhap News] Junho Park, Reporter** – On the afternoon of the 6th (local time), Shin Won-sik, head of the National Security Office, had his first face-to-face meeting with Michael Waltz, U.S. National Security Advisor, in Washington. They held in-depth discussions on the U.S.-South Korea alliance, North Korean issues, trilateral cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, as well as regional and global issues, according to the Presidential Office on the 7th.
According to the Presidential Office, Shin emphasized the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance for peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the region. They discussed ways to further strengthen this alliance.
Both sides reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea, in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions. They agreed to continue collaborating on policy formation and implementation towards North Korea, as well as closely monitoring cooperation trends among North Korea, Russia, and China.
In particular, recognizing the comprehensive nature of cooperation required in the shipbuilding sector, it was agreed to pursue close coordination and communication at the level of the U.S.-South Korea National Security Council (NSC). Shin explained South Korea’s implementation of tariffs under the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and called for productive dialogue and consultation between trade authorities of both countries.
During his visit to the U.S., Shin also met with key U.S. congressional figures such as Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker and East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee Chairman Pete Ricketts. He sought the unwavering support of the U.S. Congress for the sustainable development of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, as reported by the Presidential Office.