▲ South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden attend an official welcoming event ahead of their summit at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) and U.S. President Joe Biden (L) inspect an honor guard at an official welcoming event ahead of their summit at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (2nd from R) and first lady Kim Keon Hee (L) are greeted by U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and first lady Jill Biden during a pre-summit welcoming event at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2023. (Yonhap)

Yoon-Biden-summit

Yoon, Biden tout alliance on 70th anniversary

By Lee Haye-ah

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden praised the strength of the bilateral alliance Wednesday as they marked its 70th anniversary ahead of a summit at the White House.

Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee were greeted by Biden and first lady Jill Biden as they arrived on the White House South Lawn to take part in an official arrival ceremony honoring Yoon's state visit to the United States.

The ceremony was attended by senior government officials from both sides, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and included the playing of the two countries' national anthems and a review of an honor guard.

Speaking from behind a podium, Biden welcomed Yoon to the White House.

"This year marks the 70th anniversary of the alliance between our two nations. It's an unbreakable bond forged in bravery and the sacrifice of our people, sanctified by the blood of American and Korean troops who fought and defended liberty, and I'm proud we're joined today by veterans of the Korean War," he said.

"Ours is a future filled with unimaginable opportunity and endless possibility," he continued. "Nothing, nothing is beyond our ability to reach when our nations and our people stand united. We have proven that time and again over the last 70 years. As our troops say -- who still proudly serve together in the ROK to this day -- we go together."

ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, South Korea's formal name.

Yoon in turn hailed the alliance as a "just" alliance and a "global" alliance for freedom, peace and prosperity in the world.

"The South Korea-U.S. alliance is not a transactional relationship that meets and parts according to interests," he said, speaking from the same podium as a crowd of people waving the two countries' flags stood nearby.

"I came here to look back on the 70-year history of the alliance and to design the future of the alliance together," he said.

"And I also came here to celebrate and mark with delight the 70th anniversary of our proud alliance together with the people of our ally."

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