Ironclad Korea-US alliance more important during pandemic: US ambassador
U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris delivers a congratulatory speech at the Kor-Asia Forum 2020 held at The Shilla Seoul hotel, Wednesday, hosted by The Korea Times and its sister paper the Hankook Ilbo. Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki
By Jung Da-min
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Wednesday that the alliance between South Korea and the United States is "ironclad" and has become more important in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wednesday.
“Today, many in the United States are seeing first-hand the advantages of partnering in science and tech with a dynamic innovation-nation like the Republic of Korea, and are directly benefiting from Korea’s successful response to COVID-19,” Harris said in a congratulatory message at the Kor-Asia Forum 2020 held at The Shilla Seoul hotel by The Korea Times and its sister paper the Hankook Ilbo.
Harris also marked the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War in his speech, saying it is important for the allies to reflect on how they successfully defended the country from North Korean invasion.
“COVID-19 has affected our world in countless ways. This pandemic has shown us the true value of friendship, family, partners and especially alliances. This year's 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War reminds us how the U.S.-South Korean friendship, partnership and alliance started,” Harris said.
“While we can't always come together to mark the occasion, it is important for us to reflect on it. The United States and the other U.N. sending states came to the aid of South Korea, helping to defend it from an invasion from the North on June 25, 1950, and helping South Korea forge its own path to become an exemplary democracy and economic powerhouse.”
Harris also talked about this year's U.S. election in which Joe Biden won against President Donald Trump, saying it indicated the successful implementation of democracy in the country. But he showed discomfort at the theme of the forum, “In the Era of Biden: The Future of Asia and the Korean Peninsula,” adding a constitutional process has yet to be implemented for the leadership transition.
“The U.S. election has seen a higher turnout ― for both sides ― than any presidential election in our history, showing that the United States will always be a champion of democracy, even when we are in the midst of a deadly pandemic,” Harris said. “But, as you know and as Secretary (Mike) Pompeo has said, there is a constitutional process we still must go through. We're getting through that process but we're not quite there yet.”