The United States emphasized that South Korea is an important ally ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attendance at next week’s NATO summit.

When asked about Seoul’s role at the summit as a non-member state during a press briefing on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that despite the lack of membership, South Korea is an important partner of NATO and of individual allies.

Noting that it will be the second time in recent months that an Indo-Pacific partner has joined a NATO meeting, Price said there are a number of shared challenges, ranging from China to cyber issues and emerging technology.

He said what the U.S. seeks to uphold in the Indo-Pacific with South Korea and what NATO seeks in Europe are precisely the same; rules-based order that has led to unprecedented levels of stability and prosperity.

Stressing that Russia's affront to and assault on that rules-based order threatens not only Ukraine but the entire world, the spokesperson said that very threat is why the U.S. and the Indo-Pacific partners have stood up to aggression in that region.