South Korea’s Ambassador to the U.S. Lee Soo-hyuck said when pondering the future of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, one should take into consideration that to South Korea, the U.S. is an ally and China is a key economic partner. 

Lee made the remark during a virtual event organized by George Washington University’s Institute for Korean Studies on Thursday.  

He said that for the South Korean government, it’s crucial how the nation will position itself amid efforts to maintain a strong alliance with the U.S. while cooperating with both Washington and Beijing.  

The ambassador said that South Korea relies on its alliance with the U.S. for security, while being dependent on China for economic cooperation. He said economic activities are as important as security and that the two must go together. 

On North Korea, Lee said the reclusive state appears to be waiting for the U.S. presidential election in November, adding that at the present time, no major changes are expected in the North’s handling of affairs with the U.S.