U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday fended off questions during a visit to Seoul over the White House’s willingness to speak out more vocally following impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed attempt to impose martial law.
Blinken, on what was likely his final visit to the region as the United States’ top diplomat, met his counterpart and the country’s acting president for talks aimed at encouraging stability and continuity with the U.S. ally — including in its much-improved relations with Japan — amid the political chaos as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.
The United States has “serious concerns” about Yoon’s actions, but at the same time it “has confidence in the resilience of South Korea’s democracy and the strength of its institutions,” Blinken told a televised joint news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.
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