Seoul: The United States is poised to dispatch a pan-government delegation to South Korea as early as late February to engage in consultations with Seoul regarding the execution of last year's summit agreements between their leaders, as announced by the foreign ministry on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the delegation is expected to encompass officials tasked with addressing a wide range of security-related issues under a joint fact sheet. These issues include Seoul's initiatives to construct nuclear-powered submarines, as well as bilateral cooperation in the realms of nuclear energy and shipbuilding.
The allies aim to put into effect the joint summit document, which features Washington's endorsement of Seoul's ambition to develop nuclear-powered submarines, alongside the pursuit of civilian uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing rights.
"It will be a pan-government delegation that could consult (with us) over all matters and include all related agencies," remarked Park Il, the ministry spokesperson, during a press briefing. He noted that the delegation's visit to Seoul is slated for either late February or early to mid-March.
The U.S. delegation is anticipated to include officials from the National Security Council and the Departments of State, Energy, and Defense. In response, South Korea has established separate task forces dedicated to nuclear-powered submarines and civil nuclear cooperation.
The scheduling of the delegation's visit could also be influenced by South Korea's legislative process concerning a special bill aimed at executing Seoul's $350 billion investment commitment to the U.S., as part of a trade agreement between the two countries.
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose "reciprocal" tariffs and increase duties on South Korean automobiles, lumber, and pharmaceuticals to 25 percent, up from 15 percent, citing delays in the parliamentary process for passing the special investment bill.