U.S. ambassador says S. Korea-U.S. alliance 'linchpin' of peace on Korean Peninsula

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SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel on Friday highlighted the South Korea-U.S. alliance as the "linchpin" of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific.

Steel made the remarks at a forum in Seoul, noting the bilateral alliance was forged over 70 years ago with blood and sacrifices made in the 1950-53 Korean War.

"For more than 70 years, the U.S.-ROK alliance has been the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific," Steel said in her opening address, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

"Our mutual defense treaty is an unbreakable bond," she added. "But our alliance is more than an agreement between governments. It is also a human story. It is our story."

Steel stressed that Seoul and Washington share "one story" forged in war and secured by American and Korean soldiers who stood "shoulder to shoulder" to defend freedom during the Korean War.

Highlighting that South Korea has now become a "global leader" in a number of areas, including technology, culture, manufacturing and democracy, Steel said such an achievement was first and foremost attributable to the people of Korea, but also to the service members of the U.S. and South Korean armed forces.

"To our active-duty service members from U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the ROK armed forces, thank you for answering the call," she said. "You are the living expression of our ironclad alliance."

The annual forum, hosted by the U.S. Alliance Foundation and Korea Defense Veterans Association, was held under the theme, "The sacrifice of the U.S. Forces Korea after the armistice agreement, and the South Korea-U.S. alliance."

It was attended by Vice Veterans Minister Kang Yun-jin and former USFK commanders, including Paul LaCamera, Burwell Bell and Robert Abrams, as well as veterans of the Korean War.

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel gives an opening speech at the Republic of Korea-U.S. Alliance Veterans Conference in Seoul on Sept. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)

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U.S. ambassador says S. Korea-U.S. alliance 'linchpin' of peace on Korean Peninsula

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首尔，9月18日（韩联社）——美国驻韩国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔周五强调，韩美同盟是朝鲜半岛和印太地区和平与安全的“关键”。

斯蒂尔在首尔的一个论坛上发表了上述言论，他指出，70多年前，朝鲜战争（1950-53年）中，两国用鲜血和牺牲缔结了双边联盟。

“70多年来，美韩同盟一直是朝鲜半岛乃至整个印太地区和平与安全的基石，”斯蒂尔在开幕致辞中说道，她用的是韩国的正式名称——大韩民国。

她补充说：“我们的共同防御条约是牢不可破的纽带。但我们的联盟不仅仅是政府间的协议，它也是一个人类的故事，是我们共同的故事。”

斯蒂尔强调，首尔和华盛顿有着“同一个故事”，这个故事是在战争中铸就的，是由美国和韩国士兵在朝鲜战争期间“肩并肩”捍卫自由而缔造的。

斯蒂尔强调，韩国如今已成为包括科技、文化、制造业和民主在内的诸多领域的“全球领导者”，他表示，这一成就首先要归功于韩国人民，其次要归功于美国和韩国武装部队的官兵。

她说道：“感谢驻韩美军和韩国军队的现役军人响应号召。你们是我们牢不可破的同盟关系的鲜活体现。”

由美国联盟基金会和韩国国防退伍军人协会主办的年度论坛以“停战协定后驻韩美军的牺牲以及韩美同盟”为主题。

出席者包括退伍军人事务部副部长康允真、前驻韩美军指挥官保罗·拉卡梅拉、伯韦尔·贝尔和罗伯特·艾布拉姆斯，以及朝鲜战争老兵。

2026年9月18日，美国驻韩国大使米歇尔·斯蒂尔在首尔举行的韩美同盟退伍军人大会上发表开幕致辞。（韩联社）

sookim@yna.co.kr (完)

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