Overview
- First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in Washington for the first high-level follow-up since the Nov. 14 joint fact sheet.
- Both sides agreed to rapidly start sectoral working groups covering nuclear energy, shipbuilding, and nuclear-powered submarines to move commitments into negotiations.
- Park pressed for early talks on civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing, while Landau signaled close ongoing communication on the issue.
- The U.S. position remains tied to existing law, with stated support for a process toward peaceful enrichment and reprocessing and prior approval enabling nuclear-powered submarines, including fuel sourcing steps.
- Seoul will form a task force as Washington designates representatives, with Park also urging tariff reductions and noting progress such as a dedicated U.S. visa desk for Korean businesses, which the State Department paired with praise for Korean investment in U.S. manufacturing.