White House congratulates South Korea’s new president, citing ‘ironclad’ alliance

The U.S. on Wednesday congratulated South Korea’s new president after his election victory, calling the alliance between the two countries “ironclad.”

A spokesperson for the White House told Reuters the Biden administration congratulated Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative People Power Party and was ready to continue the good relationship between the two countries.

“The alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea, our economies and our people is ironclad,” the spokesperson said, according to Reuters. “President Biden looks forward to continue working with the new President-elect to further expand our close cooperation.”

The news comes as President Biden also spoke by phone with Yoon, Reuters reported, citing South Korea’s Yonhap News agency. 

Yoon won in a tight race against Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and will assume office in May, replacing outgoing president Moon Jae-in. Yoon will serve a five-year term.

The U.S. and South Korea are allied against North Korea and the authoritarian regime governed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

Moon Jae-in cast himself as a unifier of the Korean peninsula, however after helping broker a meeting between Kim and former President Trump, diplomacy in the region has largely stalled under the Biden administration as North Korea has recently ramped up provocative missile testing.