Readout of the President’s Call with President-elect Park Geun-hye of the Republic of Korea

The President spoke by telephone on Thursday evening with Park Geun-hye, the President-elect of the Republic of Korea, to extend his congratulations on her victory in Wednesday’s Presidential election in Korea. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-ROK alliance as a linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia Pacific region. They agreed on the need for continued close cooperation on a range of regional and global security issues, including North Korea. The President said he looks forward to working with her to continue strengthening economic ties and enhancing bilateral security cooperation, which they agreed are important priorities.