U.S. STRESSES ROK ALLIANCE

[Anchor Lead]

Washington is stressing the importance of its alliance with Seoul and says it looks forward to continuous collaboration with the Yoon administration. The U.S. government has requested the U.N. to convene an emergency meeting to condemn North Korea's SLBM launch.

[Pkg]

The U.S. State Department is stressing the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance in time for the launch of South Korea's new government. It called the ROK-U.S. alliance an axis of peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. It added that it looks forward to continuous collaboration between the two nations in solving urgent global issues. Spokesperson Ned Price said the alliance will remain unchanged even after the change in government, because it has been built upon the two countries' shared interests and values.

[Soundbite] Ned Price(U.S. State Dept. Spokesperson)

Calling South Korea one of the key allies of the United States, the U.S. Department of Defense also expressed hope for working together with the new administration. It also called on the international community to join hands in dealing with North Korea's provocations and nuclear tests.

[Soundbite] John Kirby(U.S. Dept. of Defense Press Secretary)

Washington has requested the UNSC convene an emergency meeting on May 11 to discuss Pyongyang's SLBM test-launch. U.S. President Joe Biden is to visit Seoul and hold a summit with Yoon on May 21. The White House stressed the top agenda of the talks will be regional security issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula.