▲ South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo (R) and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker shake hands prior to their talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on June 2, 2026, to launch their first round of talks to implement a set of security agreements reached by their leaders last year, in this photo released by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

US diplomat-security meeting

Senior U.S. diplomat voices optimism over security cooperation talks with S. Korea

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. diplomat visiting Seoul expressed optimism Tuesday about advancing bilateral security cooperation with South Korea as the two countries launched inaugural working-level talks to implement a set of agreements reached by their leaders last year, including Seoul's push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

Allison Hooker, U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs, made the remarks in a post on social media as she was leading a U.S. delegation at the two-day security agreement consultations[https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260602003700315?section=news] that began earlier in the day.

"Pleased to launch U.S.-ROK working group discussions to advance bilateral nuclear cooperation initiatives as outlined by our two presidents last fall," Hooker wrote on X.

She also highlighted the allies' "shared history" and the milestones achieved over more than 70 years of their alliance, adding that she looked forward to "further deepening and modernizing" bilateral cooperation and expected "continued progress across the bilateral relationship in the years to come."

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo leads the South Korean delegation, which includes officials from the presidential office, as well as the defense, science and industry ministries.

Key agenda items are expected to focus on security-related provisions in a bilateral joint fact sheet issued following a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in October.

They include Seoul's push to build nuclear-powered submarines, secure the right to enrich uranium, and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes and expand shipbuilding cooperation between the two sides.

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