The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single

  • 3

    Korea wins gold in League of Legends competition; Faker tops podium

  • 5

    VIDEOBustling Chuseok: Namsan Hanok Village immerses visitors in Korea's rich traditions

  • 7

    Pentagon's CWMD strategy document calls N. Korea 'persistent threat'

  • 9

    Are 'finfluencers' helping or harming investment community?

  • 11

    Yoon hosts Chuseok luncheon for Korean atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima

  • 13

    Apple, China met to discuss Beijing's crackdown on western apps: WSJ

  • 15

    Poll shows 79% of young Koreans agree on need to improve ties with Japan

  • 17

    Second release of Fukushima wastewater to start next week

  • 19

    S. Korea cruises past N. Korea in women's basketball

  • 2

    PHOTOSTrapped along borders

  • 4

    Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art

  • 6

    Opposition leader Lee again proposes talks with President Yoon

  • 8

    BTS' Jungkook drops 2nd solo single

  • 10

    Builders vie for leadership in modular construction

  • 12

    Korea fails to be included on FTSE Russell's global bond index

  • 14

    Swimmer Kim Woo-min captures 3rd gold in Hangzhou

  • 16

    INTERVIEW'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director

  • 18

    My left arm: how right-handed shooter won Asiad medal with left hand

  • 20

    S. Korea eliminates N. Korea in women's table tennis doubles

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, October 1, 2023 | 15:12
Foreign Affairs
'ROK-US alliance helps pull through pandemic'
Posted : 2020-05-20 16:59
Updated : 2020-05-20 17:17
Kang Seung-woo
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Marc Knapper, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, speaks during an online forum on the COVID-19 pandemic and Korean Peninsula issues, live-streamed at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap
Marc Knapper, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, speaks during an online forum on the COVID-19 pandemic and Korean Peninsula issues, live-streamed at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

The decades-old bilateral ties between Korea and the United States are further evolving during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to senior government officials from both countries, Wednesday.

"I think during this pandemic we have discovered just how deep, broad and trustful the U.S.-ROK relationship is," Marc Knapper, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, said during a video forum titled, "One Pandemic, Two Koreas: Coronavirus and the Korean Peninsula Standoff." The event was hosted by the Korea Press Foundation and Hawaii-based East-West Center, with U.S. panelists participating remotely.

Ko Yun-ju, director-general for North American affairs at the Korean foreign ministry, also said the alliance is growing stronger via their various cooperative undertakings in the fight against the virus.

Knapper, a former interim U.S. ambassador to Korea, specified areas in which Seoul and Washington are closely cooperating in the pandemic crisis, adding "sharing data and best practices" has been the most important area of cooperation.

"This is really an important area of cooperation given Korea has been a model and exemplar for the world in terms of how to fight this virus, how to use transparency in openness and how to rely on democratic values to take on the health crisis," he said. "So the U.S. has benefitted greatly from some of the best practices that Korea has with us."

Citing weekly phone calls between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun and Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Sei-young, the American said they have had an opportunity to learn from Korea about how to deal with the virus and "flatten the curve."

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, 180 countries have banned or restricted the entry of Koreans, but both the U.S. and Korea have neither issued a blanket entry ban nor put in place restrictions for each other.

"It was very important to us from the beginning to be able to maintain frequent travel between our two countries given the importance of Incheon International Airport being a hub for travelers around the region and given the importance of cargo being able to continue to go back and forth," Knapper said.

He added the two governments worked very closely from early on to ensure that air routes between Korea and the U.S. were able to remain open to allow travel and the transport of cargo to continue.

The provision of medical supplies is another good sign of the bilateral cooperation, he said.

"Early on, President Moon offered to prioritize the provision to the U.S. of 750,000 test kits and this was just a genuine show of what allies do for each other, and we still talk about how significant that was, not to mention the 2.5 million masks Korea provided, including to American veterans," he said.

"It really makes a difference and it really shows just how deep our friendship is."

Ko said the partnership between the two countries was "better than ever."

"Despite restriction on face-to-face meetings due to COVID-19, the two sides have maintained high-level exchanges through telephone and video conferencing," he told the forum.

Knapper attributed the successful cooperation between the allies to their rich history of decades of people-to-people and educational exchanges.

"I think everything we do bilaterally would not succeed were it not for two countries' rich history of exchanges, rich history of Korean students, researchers and scientists coming to the U.S. collaborating with their colleagues, building friendships and building other kind of collaborative efforts," he said.

Meanwhile, with regard to the stalled negotiations over the defense cost-sharing deal, Knapper expressed confidence that the two countries will find a way forward. Despite multiple rounds of talks, they remain far apart over Korea's financial contribution to the stationing of the 28,500-strong USFK here.

"We are working very hard to bring this to a conclusion. Both sides are committed to making this happen. Both of our leaders are fully engaged on this," he said. "I think we are both compelled to find a way forward and we will find a way. I am very confident."


Emailksw@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1[INTERVIEW] Risk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz INTERVIEWRisk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz
2Koreans adapt to soaring food prices Koreans adapt to soaring food prices
3[PHOTOS] Trapped along borders PHOTOSTrapped along borders
4Education ministry prohibits parents from recording classes Education ministry prohibits parents from recording classes
5[VIDEO] Bustling Chuseok: Namsan Hanok Village immerses visitors in Korea's rich traditions VIDEOBustling Chuseok: Namsan Hanok Village immerses visitors in Korea's rich traditions
6Value, consumer goods, financial stocks expected to gain momentum after Chuseok holiday Value, consumer goods, financial stocks expected to gain momentum after Chuseok holiday
7Are 'finfluencers' helping or harming investment community? Are 'finfluencers' helping or harming investment community?
8Builders vie for leadership in modular construction Builders vie for leadership in modular construction
9[INTERVIEW] ROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief INTERVIEWROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief
10Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] 'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director INTERVIEW'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director
2M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub
3Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art
4[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
5Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group