South Korea's Prime Minister Han expects no major changes in relations with the US after the congressional election

South Korea's Prime Minister Han Seong-sook expects no major changes in her country's relations with the US after the congressional election. She said this on Thursday in the budget committee of the National Assembly after a lawmaker asked her to assess the election result. The news agency Yonhap reported it at 05:53 CET, published among others in the Korea Times and the Korea Herald.

Han bases her expectation on the fact that both the Democrats and the Republicans consider the alliance between the two countries important. She therefore does not expect "very big changes" in relations with Korea. The Democrats' victory was clearer than expected, she said according to Yonhap.

On Seoul's strategy towards Washington, Han said some points need to be analysed one by one and in detail, while others require additional measures. The relevant ministries are currently reviewing this. According to the reports, she did not say which points she meant.

Japan's government spokesman Minoru Kihara had spoken in similar terms on Wednesday: regardless of the election result, the alliance with the US is the cornerstone of Japan's foreign and security policy. South Korean editorials, by contrast, had warned that after the defeat Trump might seek foreign policy successes at the expense of allies. More under Reports.