[Anchor]

Michelle Steel, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, has stated in a public forum that relations between South Korea and the United States are currently experiencing "turbulence." She also noted that the U.S. government remains always open to dialogue with North Korea.

Kim Ayeong reports.

[Reporter]

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel and General Xavier Brunson, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, attended a special luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

Ambassador Steel said that South Korea's economy has grown significantly and is no longer a country that the United States must simply protect, describing the current South Korea-U.S. relationship with this metaphor:

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea: "This is, kind of, like a turbulence that we are going through right now between South Korea and the United States."]

She used the expression "turbulence" to suggest the recent unstable situation between the two nations, which is also interpreted as a call for South Korea to assume a greater role and responsibility in their alliance of more than 70 years.

While she did not mention "Coupang" directly, she stressed that American companies should not face discrimination in South Korea, also indicating that the South Korean government's digital regulations are acting as an obstacle.

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea: "There were really big barriers. There were measures such as raids, audits, and imposing fines."]

Regarding China, she took aim with direct language.

[Michelle Steel / U.S. Ambassador to South Korea: "China is the biggest threat in the Indo-Pacific region. You can see how much China is attempting to expand its power."]

Regarding the prospects for dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, she stated that while the U.S. government has always maintained the position of being open to talks, it remains uncertain whether real dialogue will occur, adding that North Korea has shown no response.

Commander Brunson pointed out that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is evolving to a dangerous level, with continuous "gray-zone activities" aimed at testing regional stability.

Video by Kim Heung-gi | Video Editing by Jeong Seong-hoon