US will always work with S Korea against N Korea's provocations: Blinken

SEOUL: United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday and said that the US will always work with South Korea to firmly respond to North Korea's provocations, according to state media Yonhap.

The US reassurance came hours after Pyongyang fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters, a statement released from the South Korea's presidential office said.

"Secretary Blinken said the United States will always be with South Korea to respond firmly to North Korea's provocations and for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," the presidential office said in a media statement, Yonhap news agency reported.

The made the remarks, during a meeting with the South Korean President Yoon on the sidelines of the third Summit for Democracy being held in Seoul.

The Summit for Democray, an intitiative of US President Joe Biden is being hosted by South Korea this year from March 18-20 and brings together government officials, NGOs and civil society members.

Blinken, who arrived in Seoul on Sunday, called for continuing close coordination and communication between the allies, while further strengthening their "extended deterrence," the US commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon welcomed Blinken and said that the recent flurry of senior-level exchanges shows the strength of the alliance, which has evolved into a "global comprehensive strategic alliance," Yonhap reported.

Earlier today, Japanese media Kyodo reported that North Korea had launched three ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Monday that likely fell outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone. Following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaking at a parliamentary session later in the day said that Tokyo "strongly condemns the latest ballistic missile launches, which violate relevant UN Security Council resolutions."

Incidentally, South Korea and the United States had last Thursday wrapped up 10 days of large-scale annual joint military drills.

North Korea has long condemned military drills by the US and South Korea, claiming they are rehearsals for an invasion, and has conducted weapons tests in response to previous exercises.

Earlier this month, KCNA quoted an unnamed spokesperson for North Korea's Ministry of Defence urging Seoul and Washington to cease their "reckless" and "frantic war drills."

Shortly after Pyongyang fired the missiles into the country's eastern waters, Blinken and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol addressed the Summit for Democracy.

Co-hosted by Korea, Britain, the United States and Ecuador, the ministerial conference brought together top government delegations from some 30 countries.

In his address, Blinken said, "As authoritarian and repressive regimes deploy technologies to undermine democracy and human rights, we need to ensure that technology sustains and supports democratic values and norms."

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said the interplay of AI and digital technologies present both opportunities and challenges in a world that is witnessing a "retreat from the democratic values" amid the rising geopolitical tensions.

"While these technologies enhance democratic engagement, they also amplify threats of misinformation, disinformation and digital surveillance, undermining the very foundations of democratic societies," Cho said in the opening speech as reported by Yonhap.

Following the ministerial conference, Cho and Blinken will hold separate talks on the alliance, democratic cooperation and other issues of mutual concern, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula and around the region.

The meeting between Cho and Blinken comes only weeks after the two met one-on-one in Washington late last month.