Seoul vows close consultation with Washington after midterms for key bilateral issues

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SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will continue to work closely with the U.S. administration and Congress to handle key bilateral economic and trade issues, regardless of changes in congressional control, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in this week's midterm elections, dealing a significant blow to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

"We will continue consultations with the U.S. administration, as well as Congress and state governments, to ensure that our companies' investment activities in the U.S. proceed smoothly," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said at a regular press briefing.

The government will also continue efforts to deepen the bilateral alliance into "a future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance through close communication with the U.S. administration and Congress," he said, vowing to reach out to congressional leaders, key committee members, newly elected lawmakers and Korean American members of Congress as the new legislature takes shape.

This UPI photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump addressing construction workers in the new White House Ballroom space in the White House in Washington on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. The Democrats flipped the House and the Senate in midterm elections the previous day. (Yonhap)

The election results have raised questions in Seoul about whether the change in congressional control could affect momentum behind key bilateral issues, including nuclear fuel-cycle cooperation, South Korea's push to build nuclear-powered submarines and Korean investment in the U.S.

The two nations have yet to make substantial progress in implementing key security commitments outlined in a joint fact sheet released in November last year, following the October summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Under the summit agreements, the two sides agreed to work toward expanding South Korea's rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes under the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement, known as the 123 Agreement.

Washington also approved Seoul's plan to build nuclear-powered attack submarines and pledged to work closely with it to advance the requirements for the project, including ways to source fuel.

Follow-up consultations, however, have been slow to advance.

The inaugural working-level meeting, initially expected earlier this year, was held in Seoul in June after being postponed amid Washington's focus on other priorities, including the conflict in the Middle East, and delays in Seoul's process for implementing its U.S. investment pledge.

A second round, initially planned for July in the U.S., has yet to be scheduled.

Some observers say Trump's weakened political standing could add uncertainty to the process, given that some of the commitments, including those on nuclear-powered submarines, stemmed largely from political understandings reached between the two leaders.

A foreign ministry official said communication channels between the two governments remain active, citing the summit between Lee and Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September.

"Working-level discussions on preparations for the bilateral security consultations are continuing," the official said, adding that Seoul's position is to make progress as soon as possible.

graceoh@yna.co.kr (END)

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Seoul vows close consultation with Washington after midterms for key bilateral issues

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

首尔，11月5日（韩联社）——韩国外交部周四表示，无论国会控制权如何变化，韩国将继续与美国政府和国会密切合作，处理重要的双边经济和贸易问题。

在本周的中期选举中，民主党赢得了国会两院的控制权，这对唐纳德·特朗普总统和共和党造成了重大打击。

“我们将继续与美国政府、国会和州政府进行磋商，以确保我国公司在美国的投资活动顺利进行，”商务部发言人朴斗顺在例行记者会上表示。

他还表示，政府将继续努力，通过与美国政府和国会的密切沟通，将双边联盟深化为“面向未来的全面战略联盟”，并誓言在新一届立法机构组建过程中，与国会领导人、重要委员会成员、新当选的立法者以及韩裔美国国会议员进行接触。

这张由合众国际社（UPI）提供的照片显示，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普于2026年11月4日星期三在华盛顿白宫新落成的白宫宴会厅向建筑工人发表讲话。此前一天，民主党在中期选举中赢得了众议院和参议院的控制权。（韩联社）

选举结果在首尔引发了人们的担忧，即国会控制权的变更是否会影响关键双边议题的进展，包括核燃料循环合作、韩国建造核动力潜艇的计划以及韩国对美投资。

两国在落实去年11月发布的联合情况说明书中概述的关键安全承诺方面尚未取得实质性进展。该情况说明书是在李在明总统和美国总统唐纳德·特朗普于10月举行峰会后发布的。

根据峰会协议，双方同意努力扩大韩国在双边核合作协议（即123协议）下为和平目的浓缩铀和后处理乏核燃料的权利。

华盛顿方面也批准了首尔建造核动力攻击潜艇的计划，并承诺与首尔密切合作，推进该项目的各项要求，包括燃料来源。

然而，后续咨询进展缓慢。

首次工作级别会议原定于今年早些时候举行，但由于华盛顿将注意力集中在其他优先事项上，包括中东冲突，以及首尔在履行其对美投资承诺方面出现延误，会议被推迟到6月在首尔举行。

第二轮投票原计划于7月在美国举行，但目前尚未确定具体时间。

一些观察人士表示，鉴于包括核动力潜艇在内的一些承诺主要源于两位领导人之间达成的政治谅解，特朗普政治地位的削弱可能会给这一进程增加不确定性。

外交部官员表示，两国政府之间的沟通渠道仍然畅通，并提及李明博和特朗普9月份在联合国大会期间举行的峰会。

这位官员表示，“有关双边安全磋商筹备工作的工作层面讨论仍在继续”，并补充说，首尔的立场是尽快取得进展。

graceoh@yna.co.kr (完)

（新闻焦点）专家称，民主党掌控国会或将使韩国核潜艇问题和特金会前景复杂化。

总理表示，特朗普败选后，他认为与美国的联盟关系不会发生重大变化。

（第二条）美国中期选举后，受人工智能监管担忧影响，首尔股市暴跌逾5%。

首尔承诺中期选举后将与华盛顿就关键双边问题进行密切磋商。