US confident alliance with S. Korea will 'thrive' under Lee's leadership: State Dept.
The United States is confident that the Seoul-Washington alliance will continue to "thrive" under new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's leadership, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday.
Tammy Bruce, the spokesperson, made the remarks during a regular press briefing, responding to a question by Yonhap News Agency regarding the Lee administration's pursuit of a "pragmatic" foreign policy that regards the bilateral alliance as its "foundation."
"We congratulate the president on his election as the president of the Republic of Korea, and we're confident under his leadership, our alliance will continue to thrive," Bruce said, referring to South Korea by its official name.
She also confirmed the phone call that Lee and US President Donald Trump had on Friday.
During the 20-minute call, Lee and Trump agreed to work together to swiftly reach a mutually satisfactory trade agreement, according to Lee's office.
The two leaders are expected to have their first in-person encounter on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit, set to be held in Alberta, Canada, from June 15-17. (Yonhap)
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