“US strongly sympathizes with Seoul’s stance on Tokyo’s export curbs”

Jul 15, 2019, 08:47 am

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Kim Hyun-chong, deputy chief of Cheong Wa Dae's National Security Office, speaks to reporters at Washington's Dulles International Airport on July 13, 2019./ Source: Yonhap News

By AsiaToday reporter Lee Seok-jong & Washington correspondent Ha Man-joo

A top presidential office said on Saturday that United States officials have sympathized that tensions between South Korea and Japan over Tokyo’s export curbs against Seoul are not helpful to trilateral cooperation between the three countries.

Kim Hyun-chong, deputy chief of Cheong Wa Dae’s National Security Office, made the remark to reporters at Washington’s Dulles International Airport after wrapping up his four-day visit to the US. “I met with people in the US administration, Congress and think tanks, and explained the unfairness of Japan’s unilateral measure and the effects that this unfair measure has on the security situation among the South, the United States and Japan,” Kim said.

“All the people I’ve met shared the understanding about the concerns over tensions between the South and Japan caused by this unilateral measure,” Kim said. “That’s why the State Department said it’s going to do everything it can to maintain cooperation among the South, the US and Japan.”

“I cannot reveal everything, but they strongly sympathized with us,” Kim said.

Regarding whether the US officials mentioned the term ‘mediation’, Kim said, “US officials did not use the term, mediation. I didn’t use the term, mediation, neither.”

Regarding recent remarks by US Ambassador to Seoul Harry Harris that the US government has no plans to mediate or insert itself between the two countries, Kim said, “I did not use the term ‘mediate’ when I met with people in the US administration and Congress. I did not ask them for mediation. I think the term is first used by reporters. That’s why he said now is not the time for mediation.”

However, Kim added, “I believe that the US is going to do what it has to do if it considers cooperation among the South, the US and Japan is important.”

Regarding the possibility of trilateral dialogue, Kim said, “I did not get a detailed report, but I don’t see a sign for now. We are willing to talk and solve the issue by finding creative solutions in rational manner. But it seems that Japan is not ready.”

#Kim Hyun-chong #National Security Office #Seoul-Tokyo tensions #Japan #export curbs