▲ Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina (L) poses for a photo with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg ahead of their talks in Washington on June 24, 2026, in this photo provided by Seoul's foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

vice FM-US talks

Senior officials of S. Korea, U.S. discuss AI supply chains, economic cooperation

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina has met with a senior U.S. State Department official and discussed cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains and broader bilateral economic ties, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.

The talks between Kim and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg took place in Washington on Wednesday (U.S. time), as Kim is visiting the United States to attend the second Pax Silica Summit, according to the ministry.

The two sides shared the view that cooperation among trusted partners is essential to ensuring stable supply chains in AI, digital technologies and other advanced industries, and agreed to continue discussions on ways to strengthen their countries' manufacturing capabilities through the summit and other frameworks.

Kim introduced Seoul's efforts to promote strategic investment projects in the U.S., while calling for continued consultations on institutional improvements needed to facilitate progress in their cooperation in the shipbuilding sector.

The two sides agreed to hold the vice-ministerial Senior Economic Dialogue (SED) later this year and continue discussions on supply chains and ways to deepen their strategic economic partnership, the ministry said.

Launched by the U.S. State Department, the Pax Silica Summit is a consultative platform among 18 like-minded countries, including South Korea, Japan, Britain and Australia, aimed at building resilient AI supply chains. The second gathering is set to take place in Washington on Thursday and Friday.

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