[Photo] US ambassador emphasizes alliance with S. Korea following Maldives visit

Following a visit to the Indian Ocean Region Conference in the Maldives, US Ambassador to South Korea announced that he has returned to South Korea on Sept. 5, and is now ready to “immerse” himself in South Korea-related duties. During the conference, Harris said the “US-ROK Alliance continues to serve as the foundation for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and as the cornerstone for security and stability throughout the region,” adding that issues related to North Korea have greatly improved compared to when he was a soldier. Harris’ emphasis on the South Korea-US alliance is seen as an attempt to quiet rumors of the alliance being in trouble after Seoul’s decision to withdrawal from its General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with Tokyo.