▲ President Lee Jae Myung (R) shakes hands with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on May 13, 2026, in this photo released by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Lee-Bessent

Lee calls S. Korea, U.S. 'most important partners' after meeting with Bessent

SEOUL, May 14 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that South Korea and the United States are the most important partners supporting each other's growth following his meeting with U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent a day earlier.

Sharing Bessent's post on X, formerly Twitter, Lee said he and Bessent reaffirmed "deep trust and willingness to cooperate" during their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday, as Bessent made a single-day visit to South Korea for trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng ahead of this week's high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

"Even amid difficult international circumstances, we will continue to work closely together so that the two countries can create opportunities together and open a future of shared prosperity," Lee said.

In his X post after the meeting with Lee, Bessent said he thanked Lee "for both his hospitality and for the strong alliance between the United States and South Korea."

"During our broad-ranging discussion, I noted South Korea's strong economic performance and affirmed the United States' commitment to advancing economic cooperation between our nations. We also addressed issues pertaining to critical minerals and the implementation of the U.S.-Korea investment agreement," Bessent said.

Lee also stressed the commitment to close communication with the U.S., which holds the Group of 20 presidency in 2026, as Seoul was set to assume the presidency in 2028, vowing to play "a responsible role" in the international community.

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