President Yoon Suk Yeol Addresses Congress, Calls for Continued US-South Korea Cooperation

• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress,
• Yoon praised the strong alliance between the United States and South Korea while condemning North Korea's nuclear program.
• The South Korean leader condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol spoke for almost an hour in English before the joint session of the US Congress on Thursday, making him the third international leader to do so since President Joe Biden got into power.

Yoon hailed the close ties between the United States and South Korea in his US Congress address, urged North Korea to stop its nuclear provocations, and emphasized the danger misinformation presents to democracy throughout the world.

In his speech, the 62-year-old leader said he is committed to forging a new future for the two countries, referring to the United States as a country "conceived in liberty" and expressing his steadfast confidence in freedom and the alliance, The Washington Post reported.

Yoon thanked the American soldiers who engaged in the Korean War and gave their lives to preserve the freedom of a nation thousands of miles away.

President Yoon Suk Yeol also made a particular mention of Jane Weber, the granddaughter of William Weber, an American hero from the Korean War, who was instrumental in building the Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC, per UPI.

Yoon also emphasized South Korea's extraordinary achievements since the war's conclusion, which led to rapid industrialization and elevated the nation to the position of having the tenth-largest economy in the world. He emphasized how Seoul, once razed to dust, has transformed into one of the most vibrant digital cities in the world.

Yoon Suk Yeol Urged International Cooperation To Address Threats to Democracy

The 20th President of the Republic of Korea emphasized the enormous differences between North and South Korea, highlighting how Pyongyang's nuclear weapons development program threatens not only the Korean Peninsula but also beyond.

According to Reuters, President Yoon said that to confront the growing nuclear threats from North Korea, trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States must be accelerated.

South Korea's chief executive also highlighted the problem of propaganda and misinformation, which he sees as serious dangers to democracy throughout the globe.

He reminded everyone that democracy and the rule of law had long been safeguarded with blood and sweat and asked them to be watchful and not fall for these tricks. He stressed the need for uniting in opposition to the "forces of deception" that attack "democracy and the rule of law."

Yoon Suk Yeol also took the opportunity to reiterate South Korea's support for Ukraine and denounce the invasion and continuing conflict by Russia as breaches of international law. He stressed the need for democratic unity and promised South Korea would champion the free world.

US Nuclear-Amred Submarines To Dock in South Korea

Yoon Suk Yeol's US Congress address was in light of the announcements that nuclear-armed submarines will dock in South Korea for the first time in over 40 years and that a nuclear consultation group has been established to exchange information on North Korean threats.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Yoon's trip was critical since Kim Jong Un's North Korea regime continues developing nuclear weapons.

On Twitter, US President Joe Biden thanked Yoon Suk Yeol for his US trip.

"President Yoon and Mrs. Kim, thank you for making the trip to the White House. This visit has brought our two nations even closer together," the POTUS tweeted.

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Joe Biden, United States, South Korea, Kim jong un, Politics, World, Japan, Nuclear weapons