Yoon's address to Congress underscores close US-South Korea ties

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol told U.S. lawmakers that it is necessary to speed up trilateral cooperation with Japan and the U.S. to counter increasing North Korean nuclear threats.

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol waves as he concludes his address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress while Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy applaud in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

By Patricia Zengerle and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol told U.S. lawmakers on Thursday it is necessary to speed up trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States to counter increasing North Korean nuclear threats, and said the world must not "shy away" from promoting freedom for the North.

Yoon, on the fourth day of a state visit to mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-South Korean alliance, also vowed in a speech to a joint meeting of Congress that South Korea would actively work to safeguard the freedom of the people of Ukraine and support their reconstruction efforts.

He was greeted with a standing ovation and repeated loud cheers in a packed House of Representatives chamber by members of the House and Senate.

Yoon paid tribute to the U.S. sacrifice to defend freedom against communism in the 1950-53 Korean War, as well as the work of 19th century U.S. missionaries to advance women's status in Korea.

"Korea will never forget the great American heroes who fought with us to defend freedom," he said.

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol waves as he concludes his address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson

On Wednesday, Yoon met President Joe Biden at the White House and the United States pledged to give South Korea more insight into its nuclear planning over any conflict with North Korea, amid anxiety over Pyongyang's growing arsenal of missiles and bombs.

Yoon told Congress the alliance must stand united to deter North Korea's "reckless behavior" and highlighted his efforts towards rapprochement with neighboring Japan after years of strained relations, by saying:

"Along with close Korea-U.S. coordination, we need to speed up Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral security cooperation to counter increasing North Korean nuclear threats."

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol says goodbye to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy after concluding his address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson

Yoon became the seventh South Korea leader to address Congress, underscoring the close relationship between Seoul and Washington.

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol talks with members of the U.S. Congress after concluding his address to a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

Such addresses to Congress are generally reserved for the closest U.S. allies or major world figures. The last such address was by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in December.

Yoon condemned Russia's war against Ukraine as a violation of international law and vowed to help Ukraine, just as democracies had helped Seoul in the Korean War.

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol gets a standing ovation as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. April 27, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

"We will actively work to safeguard the freedom of the people of Ukraine and support their efforts in reconstruction," he said.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, David Brunnstrom and Susan Heavey; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)