U.S. envoy visits Seoul ahead of G7, signals alignment on trade and North Korea
Published: 13 Jun. 2025, 21:19
Updated: 14 Jun. 2025, 13:37
![Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, walks into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District, central Seoul on June 13. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/14/89fbb33e-94ec-48c6-b5b1-5d4e4eb79402.jpg)
Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, walks into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District, central Seoul on June 13. [NEWS1]
Sean O’Neill, senior official at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, visited South Korea on Friday and met with senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The visit comes just days before President Lee Jae-myung’s debut on the global diplomatic stage at the Group of 7 (G7) summit, signaling ongoing coordination between Seoul and Washington on trade and security.
"South Korea and the United States have shown through multiple administrations that cooperation is possible, and this will clearly continue under the [Donald] Trump administration and the Lee administration," O’Neill said, speaking to reporters as he entered the ministry in central Seoul. "The South Korea-U.S. alliance is a core pillar of Indo-Pacific security."
O’Neill first met with Cho Koo-rae, vice minister for strategy and intelligence, who oversees North Korean affairs. Later, he held talks with Kim Hee-sang, deputy minister for economic affairs, who handles trade and economic security. The meetings reflected Washington’s priorities in engaging with Seoul’s new administration.
Cho and O’Neill discussed the Korean Peninsula and agreed that “continuing close policy coordination is essential,” according to the Foreign Ministry.
Cho welcomed O’Neill, saying, “We welcome your visit as the first high-level U.S. foreign affairs official to visit since the launch of our new administration,” adding that the government would maintain “strong deterrence against North Korea based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance while also seeking to ease tensions and build trust to open the door to dialogue.”
![Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, right, and Cho Koo-rae, vice minister for strategy and intelligence, left, shake hands during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District, central Seoul on June 13. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/14/5e913db4-e6a4-4368-b887-90608d1b9ec1.jpg)
Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, right, and Cho Koo-rae, vice minister for strategy and intelligence, left, shake hands during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District, central Seoul on June 13. [YONHAP]
“The Trump administration places great importance on the South Korea-U.S. relationship and the Indo-Pacific region,” O’Neill said later, in his meeting with Kim. “The alliance is built on shared democratic values, deep economic and social ties, and a close security partnership. Let’s work together to strengthen cooperation in areas including North Korea, economic security, and mutual investment.”
The two sides also exchanged views on tariff negotiations, the ministry added.
The visit, held just two days before the G7 summit in Canada, is widely seen as a move to prepare for a possible first meeting between Lee and Trump. The two leaders had their first phone call on June 6, during which they agreed to seek early resolution of tariff issues, according to the presidential office. Friday’s meetings may have also included discussion of U.S. demands regarding defense cost-sharing and trade.
![Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, is seen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District, central Seoul on June 13. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/14/4fcab394-d921-44c8-a1a1-fc7b2ca783aa.jpg)
Sean O’Neill, senior bureau official for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, is seen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District, central Seoul on June 13. [YONHAP]
As both administrations seek renewed dialogue with North Korea — highlighted by Seoul’s recent halt to border loudspeaker broadcasts — officials likely coordinated closely on regional policy. The JoongAng Ilbo also reported that Trump has made repeated efforts to contact North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
O’Neill arrived in Seoul after attending an Asean Regional Forum meeting in Penang, Malaysia, earlier in the week. During his previous regional tour in April, which included Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan, he skipped Korea amid its political transition following the impeachment of former president Yoon Suk Yeol.
Meanwhile, Michael DeSombre, nominated in March for assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs, still awaits Senate confirmation.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY PARK HYUN-JU [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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