South Korean President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the presidential office in Seoul on May 13. &#40;Provided by the presidential office. Resale and DB prohibited&#41; May 13, 2026. / Courtesy of News1

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said May 14 that his meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reaffirmed the “deep trust and willingness to cooperate” between the two countries.

Lee made the remarks while sharing Bessent’s post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday afternoon local time. The two met at the presidential office in Seoul on May 13.

“The Republic of Korea and the United States are the most important partners supporting each other’s growth,” Lee said. “Even amid difficult global circumstances, we will continue to work closely together so that both countries can create opportunities and build a future of shared prosperity.”

Lee also said that as South Korea is set to chair the G20 in 2028, it will maintain close communication with the United States, which holds the 2026 G20 presidency, and continue playing a responsible role in the international community.

Earlier Wednesday morning, Bessent wrote on X that he expressed gratitude for the hospitality shown during his meeting with Lee and for the “strong alliance” between the United States and South Korea.

“In our wide-ranging discussions, I praised Korea’s economic achievements and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to expanding economic cooperation between our two countries,” Bessent wrote.

He added that the two sides also discussed issues related to critical minerals and the implementation of the South Korea-U.S. investment agreement.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said May 14 that his meeting with U.S. Treasury Secre …

Lee and Bessent Reaffirm South Korea-U.S. Economic Cooperation in Seoul Meeting