US and S Korean FMs coordinate ahead of Trump–Lee Summit

The foreign ministers of South Korea and the United States held talks in Washington on Friday to coordinate ahead of next week’s summit between Presidents Lee Jae Myung and Donald Trump, according to the State Department, according to the Korea Times.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with both sides emphasizing plans to strengthen their alliance amid growing security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the two officials discussed enhancing deterrence against regional threats, deepening burden-sharing, revitalizing U.S. manufacturing, and ensuring fairness in bilateral trade. They also stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation with Japan.

Both ministers highlighted the “enduring” nature of the U.S.–South Korea partnership, which has served as a cornerstone of stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the broader region for more than 70 years.

Seoul’s foreign ministry described the upcoming summit as “historic,” while Rubio expressed confidence that the meeting would yield constructive results. The two diplomats also exchanged views on North Korea and pledged closer coordination on security and technology issues.