Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul attended the reception held aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) of the 9th Carrier Strike Group on the afternoon of June 24 at the Busan Naval Base. The reception, held just the day before the 74th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, was attended by over 250 participants from the United States and the Republic of Korea, including U.S. Ambassador to the ROK Philip Goldberg, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong Mo, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Kang Ho-pil, other key figures related to the ROK-U.S. Alliance and servicepeople.

In his congratulatory remarks, Minister Cho expressed his gratitude for the sacrifices of many American soldiers who fought alongside the ROK to defend its freedom and peace in the Korean War, which was triggered by North Korea’s surprise armed attack. He also appreciated the crucial role and contribution of the ROK-U.S. Alliance in achieving peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula today.

Furthermore, Minister Cho reminded that the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains dire due to North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threat and its unlawful military cooperation with Russia. He emphasized that the ROK government will work with the international community to firmly respond to any actions that threaten its security and will further strengthen the ROK-U.S. extended deterrence cooperation and the ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral security cooperation mechanism based on the strong ROK-U.S. Alliance.

Minister Cho underscored that peace can only be preserved by powerful strength and assessed that the regular deployment of U.S. strategic assets, such as the USS Theodore Roosevelt, contributes to sending a strong message of deterrence against North Korea. He asked ROK and U.S. officers to continue efforts to maintain a robust combined defense posture.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt’s port visit demonstrates the strong extended deterrence commitment of the U.S. to the ROK, including through the implementation of the Washington Declaration adopted by the ROK and U.S. leaders in April 2023, as well as the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of the ROK.