US Committed to Defending South Korea and Japan: Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint news conference after the Foreign and Defense Ministerial meeting between South Korea and the U.S. at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, on March 18, 2021. Lee Jin-man/Pool via Reuters

In a call with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin on Aug. 19, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is committed to defending the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan.

“The Secretary expressed his appreciation for President Yoon [Suk-yeol]’s remarks during his Liberation Day address, particularly the ROK’s concerted efforts to improve its relationship with Japan and secure the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The Secretary reaffirmed the U.S. ironclad commitment to the defense of the ROK and Japan,” Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said in an Aug. 19 statement.