YOON-HARRIS DISCUSS VARIOUS ISSUES

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea had launched a missile right after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris left South Korea as a way to protest her visit to the demilitarized zone. During her meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol, where the South Korean president expressed his concern over the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act's impact on the South Korean industry, Vice President Harris said that she will look for solutions during the execution of the law. She also added that the United States doesn't care about President Yoon's controversial remark about U.S. Congress.

[Pkg]

President Yoon Suk-yeol met with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris officially for the first time. She is the first American vice president to visit Korea since Vice President Mike Pence attended the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang four years and six months ago.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "The S. Korea-U.S. alliance is expanding beyond the Korean Peninsula to go global and beyond a military alliance to an economic and technological one."

[Soundbite] Kamala Harris(U.S. Vice President) : "I’m here to reinforce the strength of our alliance and strengthen our work together."

In line with his meeting with President Joe Biden last week, President Yoon once again conveyed South Korea's concern over the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. President Yoon told the American vice president that he expects the two countries to work together in the spirit of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement. Vice President Harris answered that she would pay close attention to the matter to dispel Korea's concern in the enforcement of the new law. She appears to have noted the Korean government's plan to minimize the damage through the U.S. administration's enforcement decrees or guidelines. She also mentioned President Yoon's controversial, crude hot mic comment in New York, Vice President Harris assured that the United States is not bothered by it and same goes for President Biden.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(Presidential Deputy Spokesperson) : "Pres. Biden said that he’s satisfied about his meetings with Pres. Yoon in London and New York last week."

The meeting lasted longer than scheduled for 85 minutes. Later she also met notable female leaders such as actress Youn Yuh-jung and KBS news anchor Lee So-jeong. Vice President Harris said that the U.S. government is very interested in strengthening women's capacity. But the President's Office initially said there was no mention of women's rights issues before belatedly disclosing her remarks. The American vice president toured the demilitarized zone before returning home.