How does Cheong Wa Dae plan to work with the United States after the midterm elections?

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the Korean government would communicate and cooperate with both the U.S. administration and Congress while monitoring changes in the political landscape. She said Seoul would continue investment projects based on its agreement with the Trump administration.

Could the U.S. midterm election results change South Korea’s wartime operational control or nuclear-powered submarine agreements?

Kang said security agreements are based on mutual trust and are commitments both countries will firmly uphold. She made the remarks when asked whether the election results could affect negotiations on wartime operational control or nuclear-powered submarines.

Cheong Wa Dae says US midterm results unlikely to affect Korea-US alliance

Q: How will South Korea assess its investment projects in the United States?

Kang said the specifics of the investment would be reviewed under the principles of national interests first, commercial reasonableness and relevant procedures. She said Seoul would continue pursuing the projects based on its agreement with the Trump administration.

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Summary

Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday that U.S. midterm election results are unlikely to affect the Korea-U.S. alliance, and pledged continued cooperation with Washington. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Seoul would work with the U.S. administration and Congress while monitoring political changes. She said investment projects would proceed under agreed principles and that security commitments, including those concerning wartime operational control and nuclear-powered submarines, would be upheld. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook also anticipated no major change in relations.

Key Facts

Kang said the alliance had developed for more than 70 years with bipartisan support in the United States.
Kang said the midterm elections were not discussed at Thursday’s meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung.
She said investment details would be reviewed according to national interests first, commercial reasonableness and relevant procedures.
Han said the Democratic Party’s victory was stronger than expected and that relevant ministries were reviewing whether additional measures were needed.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 5, 2026 10:16 pm KST

President Lee Jae Myung listens during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday it does not expect the results of the U.S. midterm elections to affect bilateral alliance, vowing to continue efforts to further develop the decadeslong alliance.

"The Korea-U.S. alliance is one that has developed solidly over more than 70 years based on bipartisan U.S. support, and the results of certain elections are unlikely to affect the alliance," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told a press briefing following a meeting presided by President Lee Jae Myung.

Kang said the Korean government would closely communicate and cooperate with both the U.S. administration and Congress to pursue the development of the alliance, while monitoring any changes in the political landscape.

Kang, however, said the U.S. midterm elections were not discussed during Thursday's meeting.

She added that Seoul will continue to pursue investment projects in the U.S. based on its agreement with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, noting the specifics of the investment would be reviewed under the principles of "national interests first," commercial reasonableness and relevant procedures.

When asked whether the results could affect negotiations on the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) or nuclear-powered submarines in a YTN radio interview, she stressed that security agreements are based on mutual trust and are commitments that will be firmly upheld by both countries.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook also said she anticipates no big changes in relations with the U.S. after Trump's Republican Party suffered a crushing defeat.

"As both the Democratic and Republican parties have considered the alliance between the two countries important, I think there will not be very big changes in relations with South Korea," Han said during a parliamentary budget committee meeting after a lawmaker asked her to assess the election results.

She said the Democratic Party's victory was stronger than expected.

"There are parts that we should analyze one by one in detail and other parts that require additional measures," Han said when asked about Seoul's diplomatic strategy toward Washington, adding that each relevant ministry is currently reviewing such issues.

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