0
President-elect Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech during a public election broadcast event hosted by his party near the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on June 4. / Source: Joint Press Corps

The White House on June 3 (local time) reaffirmed that the U.S.-South Korea alliance remains “ironclad” following the election of President-elect Lee Jae-myung, while also expressing concerns and opposition to Chinese interference and influence.

In a statement issued by a senior official, the White House emphasized, “The U.S.-South Korea alliance remains ironclad. While South Korea conducted a free and fair election, the United States continues to be concerned about and opposes Chinese interference and influence operations targeting democracies worldwide.”

It is highly unusual for the White House to directly reference Chinese interference when commenting on the results of a South Korean presidential election.

Observers believe this reflects growing concerns in Washington that if President-elect Lee pursues a balanced diplomacy between the U.S. and China, it could strain relations with the Trump administration, which is actively urging allies to join efforts to counter Beijing.

Previously, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had issued a pointed warning during a speech at the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, criticizing some Asian nations for pursuing a strategy of “security with the U.S., economy with China.”

Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Lee on his election as South Korea’s 14th president in a statement released the same day.

“The United States and South Korea share an ironclad alliance grounded in our mutual defense treaty, shared values, and deep economic ties,” Rubio stated. “We are also modernizing our alliance to meet the demands of today’s strategic environment and to address new economic challenges.”

He added, “We will continue to deepen trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan to strengthen regional security, enhance economic resilience, and uphold our shared democratic principles.”

U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Pete Nguyen also issued a brief comment, saying, “The U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea and to the U.S.-South Korea alliance remains ironclad.”