▲ Kang Joo-yeon (L), director general for international organizations at Seoul's foreign ministry, shakes hands with Erin Barclay, senior official at the department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, at the ministry in Seoul on Dec. 1, 2023 in this photo released by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

S Korea-US-democracy talks

S. Korea, U.S. hold annual democracy promotion meeting in Seoul

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States held their annual diplomatic talks on the promotion of democracy and human rights in Seoul on Friday, the U.S. Department of State said.

Kang Joo-yeon, director general for international organizations at Seoul's foreign ministry, and Erin Barclay, senior official at the department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, held the third Democratic Governance Consultations.

"The ROK and the United States discussed cooperation to promote respect for human rights and democracy at the global level, including through the Summit for Democracy, and shared efforts to promote respect for human rights and democracy in each country," the department said in a joint statement.

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

The two sides agreed that interagency consultations were an opportunity to continue to deepen understanding of policies of both countries for the promotion of respect for human rights and democracy at home and abroad and continue to explore areas of cooperation.

Barclay was in Seoul as part of her two-nation trip that also took her to Indonesia.

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