YOON TO MAKE STATE VISIT TO U.S. IN APRIL

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President Yoon is to make a state visit to the U.S. end of the next month for a bilateral summit with President Biden. The White House also released a statement saying that the upcoming visit celebrates the 70th anniversary of the bilateral alliance. Pundits are saying the government will likely speed up their support in U.S.' foreign policies.

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The White House said President Yoon Suk Yeol will make a state visit to the United States late next month. The official announcement came in a press secretary statement which said the visit will include a state dinner on April 26. The statement said the upcoming visit celebrates the 70th anniversary of the bilateral alliance and that the two leaders will highlight the importance and enduring strength of the ironclad alliance.

[Soundbite] Karine Jean-Pierre(White House Press Secretary)

Following the White House announcement, the presidential office in Seoul also confirmed Yoon's state visit to the U.S. in a written briefing saying the two leaders will celebrate the achievements of the alliance through a summit and state dinner as well as other joint events. National security advisor Kim Sung-han who led working-level talks in Washington said the upcoming summit will explore ways to further strengthen deterrence against North Korea's nuclear threat.

[Soundbite] Kim Sung-han(Nat‘l Security advisor) : "Through President Yoon’s state visit, the allies will actively explore substantive ways to step up deterrence capabilities against N. Korea’s nuclear threat."

Kim added that other issues to be addressed include cooperation in economic security such as establishing stable supply chains and devising measures to minimize uncertainty in the implementation of U.S. industrial policies. It's the first time in 12 years a South Korean leader is making a state visit to the White House. It's only the second such visit by a foreign head of state under the Biden administration after French President Emmanuel Macron.