WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said on Tuesday the United States was watching developments in U.S. ally South Korea with “grave concern” and had every hope and expectation that any political dispute be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.
Campbell spoke at an event at the US State Department after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in a surprise late-night television address on Tuesday, attacking his domestic political opponents and provoking commotions throughout the country and beyond.
Troops were seen attempting to enter the South Korean parliament on Wednesday after Yoon’s announcement.
“We are watching recent developments in the Republic of Korea with great concern,” Campbell said, using the acronym for Republic of Korea. “We are looking to engage our (South Korean) counterparts at all levels, both here and in Seoul.”
Campbell said US President Joe Biden, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken were being kept informed of the situation as it developed. He stressed that the United States’ alliance with South Korea was “ironclad” and added:
“We stand with Korea in its time of uncertainty. I also want to simply emphasize that we have every hope and expectation that any political dispute will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.”
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Ismail Shakil; editing by Jonathan Oatis)