US President Joe Biden will host South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for a state visit on April 26, the White House announced Tuesday, as the countries ramp up cooperation over the threat from North Korea.
The United States and South Korea have been holding increasing numbers of joint drills in the face of growing warnings from nuclear-armed Pyongyang, which has conducted a wave of banned weapons tests in recent months.
The prestigious state visit — only the second of Biden’s time in office — “will highlight the importance and enduring strength of the ironclad… alliance” between the two countries, 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 has said its nuclear weapons and missile programs are for self-defence 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.
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