What did Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo discuss with the Stimson Center delegation?

Park discussed the Korea-U.S. alliance, Korean Peninsula issues, and other regional and global affairs with the three-member delegation. He also urged the center to help broaden support for the alliance in U.S. academic and policy circles.

Why did Park Yoon-joo ask for broader support in the United States?

Park said broader support is needed to implement the joint fact sheet adopted by the two leaders last year and to advance bilateral cooperation. He specifically asked the Stimson Center to help promote understanding of the alliance and Korean Peninsula issues.

Vice FM meets US Stimson Center delegation to discuss alliance, Korean Peninsula issues

Q: What nuclear cooperation issues were mentioned in the talks between South Korea and the Stimson Center?

The ministry said the talks included revisions to the 123 Agreement, which would allow Korea to enrich uranium and reprocess spent fuel. The discussion also covered South Korea’s push to develop nuclear-powered submarines.

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Summary

Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met with a delegation from the Washington-based Stimson Center on Thursday to discuss the Korea-U.S. alliance, Korean Peninsula issues, and broader regional and global affairs. Park called for wider support in U.S. academic and policy circles to help implement last year’s joint fact sheet and deepen bilateral cooperation. The delegation said it has been following cooperation in shipbuilding and defense industries and will look for ways to help carry out key agreements. The foreign ministry also said the talks touched on revisions to the 123 Agreement and South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine push.

Key Facts

The Stimson Center delegation was three members and was led by acting President and CEO Rachel Stohl.
The joint fact sheet from last year’s summit covers trade, investment, and security commitments, including South Korea’s $350 billion investment pledge in the United States.
South Korea and the United States are discussing revisions to the 123 Agreement so Korea can enrich uranium and reprocess spent fuel.
The two governments are also discussing South Korea’s push to develop nuclear-powered submarines.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 10, 2026 5:02 pm KST

Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, right, poses with the delegation from the Washington-based Stimson Center, led by CEO Rachel Stohl, second from right, in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The three-member delegation from the U.S. foreign policy and national security think tank is led by the center's acting President and CEO Rachel Stohl, according to the ministry.

Park stressed the need for broad support for the alliance in the U.S. academic and policy circles to implement the joint fact sheet adopted by the two countries' leaders last year and further advance bilateral cooperation.

He asked the center to play an active role in promoting understanding of the alliance and Korean Peninsula issues, according to the ministry.

The delegation said it has been closely following bilateral cooperation in areas including shipbuilding and defense industries, pledging to explore ways to help implement key agreements and promote future-oriented cooperation between the allies, the ministry said.

The joint fact sheet adopted after last year's summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump covers a range of bilateral commitments on trade, investment and security, including Korea's $350 billion investment pledge in the United States.

Under the agreement, the two nations are discussing revisions to the Korea-U.S. nuclear energy agreement, known as the 123 Agreement, to allow Korea to enrich uranium and reprocess spent fuel, as well as Korea's push to develop nuclear-powered submarines.

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