Nat'l security adviser to visit US next week for talks on post-summit measures

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac speaks during a press conference at the presidential office in Seoul, Nov. 14. Yonhap

South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac will visit Washington next week for talks with senior U.S. officials, multiple sources said Tuesday, as the two sides are working on follow-up measures to the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump in late October.

Wi plans to begin his visit to the U.S. capital on Tuesday, the sources said. He is expected to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who doubles as national security adviser.

His visit will follow the release on Nov. 13 of a joint fact sheet encompassing trade and security agreements between the allies, which were finalized during the second summit between Lee and Trump in South Korea's southern city of Gyeongju on Oct. 29 ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

The presidential National Security Office in Seoul has formed three task force teams to carry out working-level consultations with the U.S. over summit agreements related to South Korea's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and secure peaceful uranium enrichment capabilities, and its defense budget.

Codified in the fact sheet are the U.S.' approval for South Korea to build nuclear-powered submarines, its support for Seoul's drive to secure uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing capabilities, and Seoul's commitment to increasing defense spending to 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product.

During talks with U.S. officials, Wi is also expected to discuss cooperation over North Korea policy.

Both Seoul and Washington have expressed their desire to resume dialogue with Pyongyang, but it remains uncertain whether the recalcitrant regime would accede to dialogue overtures at a time when it has been reliant on Russia for food, fuel and other necessities while enhancing ties with China.

His trip here will come after the White House released a new National Security Strategy that makes no mention of North Korea — a development that fanned speculation that the security challenge surrounding Pyongyang could be put on the back burner.

Released last week, the strategy outlined the Trump administration's priorities on "burden-sharing" and "burden-shifting" with allies, reasserting American heft on the Western Hemisphere and deterring a conflict over Taiwan, among others.