On his final trip as U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken arrived in a politically turbulent Seoul on Monday, delivering a nuanced message about the resilience of South Korea's democracy amidst recent challenges.

Blinken expressed "serious concerns" over suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's December 3rd declaration of martial law but also conveyed "tremendous confidence" in South Korea's democratic institutions.

During his visit, Blinken met with acting President Choi Sang-mok, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, highlighting the significance of maintaining the strong Korea-U.S. alliance based on shared democratic values.

In a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Cho, Blinken commented, "We had serious concerns about some of the actions that President Yoon took and we communicated those directly to the government." He further commended South Korea's response to the democratic test, stating it would be a critical measure of its democratic resilience.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul echoed Blinken's sentiment, emphasizing the stability of South Korea's foreign policy under the acting president system and the commitment to restore international trust following the martial law incident. "The declaration of martial law and the subsequent handling of the situation reflects both the vulnerabilities and the strong resilience of our democracy," Cho remarked.

The discussions also touched on broader security issues, with Blinken warning about the escalating military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. He noted the significant human cost, with over 1,000 North Korean casualties linked to Russian actions in Ukraine, underscoring the dangers of such alliances between authoritarian regimes.

Blinken highlighted new concerns about technology transfers, stating, "We have reason to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang and that Putin may be close to reversing a decades-long policy by Russia and accepting the DPRK's nuclear weapons program."

The visit coincided with a North Korean ballistic missile launch, which both Blinken and Cho condemned, reinforcing the need for trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. Blinken stressed the importance of real-time information sharing and joint military exercises for regional security.

Despite the upcoming changes with the Trump administration's inauguration and political uncertainties in South Korea, Blinken expressed optimism about the continuation of the trilateral partnership, asserting, "Because it’s in the interest of all of us, it will continue, and future administrations will build on the work we’ve done together."

This visit not only served as Blinken's farewell but also as a reaffirmation of U.S. commitment to South Korea's democratic journey and regional stability. (ILKHA)