US top diplomat, defense chief visit Seoul amid fresh warnings from Pyongyang

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Seoul Wednesday, a day after North Korea issued a fresh warning over a joint military drill currently conducted by the two allies.

The two senior US officials plan to hold multiple meetings with their South Korean counterparts, including a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in Thursday afternoon, during their two-day stay.

They also visited Japan earlier this week in their first overseas trip since the Biden administration began in January.

While China was a major topic of discussion during their Tokyo visit, North Korea is expected to be in sharp focus in their Seoul meetings.

The high-level visit comes after Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, decried the ongoing South Korea-US military exercise on Tuesday, warning Washington to “refrain from causing a stink” if it wanted peace for the next four years.

As for Seoul, she said the South crossed the “red line,” adding that the “warm spring days three years ago” won’t easily arrive again -- referring to the rapprochement in 2018 following three historic inter-Korean talks.

Currently, Biden’s new security team is speeding up its policy review on North Korea. As the review is set to be completed in the coming weeks, policy coordination is likely to top the agenda during their meetings in Seoul.

During a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday, Blinken said that the Biden administration’s ongoing policy review involves the evaluation of “all available options” to address the North Korean threat, while reiterating the need for collective efforts with US allies, including Japan.

“We are looking at whether various additional pressure measures could be effective, whether there are diplomatic paths that make sense,” he said. “All of that is under review, and it’s under review and close consultation with our allies and partners.”

A Cheong Wa Dae official also echoed the comments saying, “It won’t take too much time for Washington to come up with a new policy. We have also delivered our opinions on possible solutions or the timing that could be reflected in the new policy.”

After holding separate two-way talks with their respective counterparts, Blinken and Austin will hold a meeting with Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Defense Minister Suh Wook Thursday morning, reviving the two-plus-two format gathering that highlights the strength of the alliance.

The annual meeting of foreign and defense ministers of the two countries had been suspended for almost five years during the Trump administration since the last meeting in Washington in 2016.

After the meeting, they plan to attend a signing ceremony of a defense cost-sharing deal and then hold a joint press conference along with their Korean counterparts.

The courtesy call on Moon will be made later in the day. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the president will be briefed on the two-plus-two meeting and other issues discussed during their stay.

They also plan to hold separate meetings with the president’s top security adviser Suh Hoon before and after the meeting with Moon.

Blinken is set to leave for Anchorage, Alaska on Thursday evening to meet China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councilor Wang Yi. Austin is scheduled to leave Seoul Friday morning.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)