Monitoring Desk
WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden will host his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol for a state visit on April 26, the White House announced Tuesday, as the two countries ramp up cooperation over the threat from North Korea.
The US and South Korea have been holding rising numbers of joint military exercises in the face of growing warnings from the nuclear-armed North, which has conducted several banned weapons tests in recent months.
The White House said that the prestigious visit — only the second of Joe Biden’s time in office — would underline the enduring strength and importance of the “ironclad alliance” between the two states, the White House said.
The visit, including a state dinner at the presidential mansion in Washington, celebrates the 70th anniversary of bilateral ties, which the White House said are “critical to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity for our two countries, the Indo-Pacific, and around the world.”
North Korea depress over US-South Korea drills
Pyongyang has said its nuclear weapons and missile programs are for self-defense and has bristled over US-South Korea military exercises, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion.
It warned earlier Tuesday that it would be a “clear declaration of war” if its missiles were shot down during their test launches over the Pacific Ocean.
Later this month, the US and South Korean militaries will hold their largest joint drills in five years.
Ahead of those exercises, scheduled for at least 10 days starting March 13, the allies held air drills featuring a nuclear-capable US B-52 heavy bomber.
North Korea’s foreign ministry accused the United States of “intentionally” ramping up tensions.
