US vice president Kamala Harris announced on Tuesday that she will be visiting the Korean demilitarised zone (DMZ) at the end of her Asia trip.
The details of her Asian trip were kept under wraps but on Tuesday South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo revealed that Ms Harris will be making a visit to the Korean demilitarised zone. It was later confirmed by a US official.
In August, Nancy Pelosi, the US House speaker visited the DMZ. Former president Donald Trump went in 2019 when he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Ms Harris on Tuesday also emphasised the US’s commitment to regional security during a meeting with Asian leaders.
The vice president was in Tokyo to lead a US presidential delegation to the funeral of former prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe.
After the South Korean leader revealed that Ms Harris would be visiting the border area between South and North Korea on Thursday, a senior US official said: “Nearly 70 years since the Korean Armistice, the visit will underscore the strength of the alliance between Seoul and Washington in the face of any threats posed by North Korea.”
The Associated Press quoted an anonymous US official as saying that Ms Harris “will tour sites at the DMZ, meet with service members and receive an operational briefing from US commanders”.
The official added that she will also “reflect on the shared sacrifice of tens of thousands of American and Korean soldiers who fought and died together” in the war that divided the peninsula seven decades ago.
The visit comes amid concerns over North Korea’s missile and nuclear programmes. In fact, North Korea fired a single, short-range ballistic missile from near the Taechon area of North Pyongyan Province just before 7am local time. It flew about 600km at an altitude of 60km with a speed of Mach 5, right before Ms Harris’s visit to Seoul.
It was my privilege to introduce @VP Harris during her welcome reception with the @USEmbassyTokyo community. Thank you for inspiring our dedicated staff and patriotic families, Madame Vice President. pic.twitter.com/jjXjegwd4N
— ラーム・エマニュエル駐日米国大使 (@USAmbJapan) September 27, 2022
“North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile is an act of grave provocation that threatens the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and international community,” South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said in a statement.
Meanwhile, during her meeting with the South Korean leader, Ms Harris emphasised that the US alliance with South Korea is the “linchpin of security and prosperity” in the region. “We stand with you in the face of threats,” she said.
She also met with the Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, telling him their countries share a “common goal and bond as it relates to our dedication to peace and security”, local news reports said.
