South Korea's National Security Chief to Meet with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State

Wi Sung-lak, South Korea's National Security Chief, is set to meet with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Alison Hooker on June 2 during her visit to South Korea.

The discussions, taking place at the Blue House, are expected to cover a range of issues, including South Korea's construction of nuclear-powered submarines, uranium enrichment, and the authority for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. The ongoing discussions regarding the transfer of wartime operational control may also be addressed.

Hooker arrived in South Korea on June 1, leading a U.S. delegation that includes representatives from the National Security Council, State Department, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense.

This visit aims to initiate formal negotiations to implement security agreements made during the summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and President Donald Trump in October 2025.

Official meetings between the South Korean and U.S. delegations began on the morning of June 2 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will continue until June 3.

First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo and Deputy Secretary Hooker will co-chair the meetings, followed by detailed discussions led by both countries' national security offices.

Delays in initiating these discussions have been attributed to issues such as the pace of South Korean investments in the U.S., the war in Iran, and matters related to Coupang.

During their stay, the U.S. delegation is also coordinating meetings with senior South Korean officials, including Foreign Minister Park Jin and Jeong Yeon-du, head of the Foreign Affairs and Security Strategy Bureau.