Blinken says ‘authoritarian’ N.K. regime continues to commit ‘systemic and widespread’ abuses March 17, 2021
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday accused the “authoritarian” regime in North Korea of “systemic and widespread abuses” against its own people, underscoring Washington’s commitment to improving the reclusive country’s human rights situation.
Blinken made the remarks at the start of his first face-to-face talks with Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Seoul, stressing the U.S. will continue to work together with South Korea, Japan and other allies for the denuclearization of the North.
The top U.S. diplomat arrived here earlier in the day, hours after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived here following a three-day trip to Japan.
US defense chief calls on Seoul-Washington-Tokyo cooperation koreatimes.co.kr - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from koreatimes.co.kr Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
S. Korea, U.S. to initial defense cost-sharing deal after ‘two plus two’ meeting: sources March 15, 2021
South Korea and the United States plan to initial a recently concluded deal on the sharing of the cost for stationing U.S. troops here shortly after a “two plus two” meeting of their foreign and defense ministers in Seoul later this week, sources said Monday.
Ending 1 1/2 years of negotiations, the two sides reached the deal on March 7 to raise Seoul’s payment for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea by 13.9 percent to 1.183 trillion won (US$1.04 billion) this year from the previous year.
By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea and the United States will hold a two-plus-two meeting of their foreign and defense ministers next week, the first of its kind in over four years, a sign of the Joe Biden administration s commitment to restoring their bilateral alliance after four years of neglect under former President Donald Trump.
Although the meeting will showcase the special relationship of the allies, the long-delayed, long-awaited dialogue is not expected to proceed in South Korea s favor, as Seoul is expected to face a tough call from Washington that will ask, if not force, the country to support American policy vis-a-vis China amid the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, according to diplomatic observers.