최종건, 비건 만나러 오늘 출국...강경화, 미중갈등 속 아세안 외교장관회의 참석
A flurry of activities on security and diplomatic front today and for the next couple of days.
National security advisers of South Korea and the U.S., Suh Hoon and Robert O'Brien spoke over the phone for the first time since former intel chief took office two months ago... Seoul's vice foreign minister is on his way to Washington to meet his counterpart Stephen Biegun.
All this as the nation's top diplomat takes part in a series of regional forums.
Our foreign affairs correspondent Yoon Jung-min is live at Seoul's foreign affairs ministry.
Jung-min, first the Suh Hoon, O'Brien dialogue as the ex-presidential secretary now the new vice foreign minister heads to D.C.?
Right, Conn-young.
President Moon Jae-in's top national security adviser, Suh Hoon and his U.S. counterpart Robert O'Brien spoke over the phone earlier this morning.
It's the first phone conversation between Suh and O'Brien since Suh took the post in early July.
They agreed that the "coming several months" are crucial for the progress of denuclearization and peace-building on the Korean Peninsula.
The two reaffirmed strong commitment to the South Korea-U.S. alliance and agreed to continue consultations on various ways to drive it forward.
Now, the phone dialogue happened as Seoul's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun took off for Washington... where he will meet his U.S. counterpart Stephen Biegun on Thursday.
It's only been a few weeks since the former presidential secretary for peace planning took office as the vice foreign minister,... so this will be his first face-to-face meeting ever with a foreign counterpart - and that will be the deputy U.S. state secretary.
Of course, Vice Minister Choi has been deeply involved NOT ONLY in the making and follow-up of the inter-Korean summit, BUT U.S., North Korea talks.... so, this will not be the first time for Choi and Biegun to meet. They do have experience working with each other... just not as direct counterparts.
"We have our mutual concerns. We will share views on the peace process on the Korean Peninsula and other bilateral issues which the two countries have been working on for the past three years,... as well as how we're going to work from now on."
It's also worth noting that Biegun's invitation follows China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi's visit to South Korea last month, Connyoung.
Right. So, definitely, a lot to be discussed between the two men in the next few days with many sets of eyes locked that way with the U.S. presidential election just a bit over 50 days away, as well.
Now, this as Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha takes part in the foreign ministers' meetings with ASEAN and other key partners,... including the U.S. and China... of course, virtually, considering the pandemic times.
That's right.
At the ASEAN Plus Three and South Korea-ASEAN meetings, Minister Kang will discuss the Korean peace process,... the need to upgrade South Korea's strategic partnership with southe
