After Taiwan, Pelosi Meets Political Leaders in South Korea

Nancy Pelosi met top South Korean political leaders on Thursday, a day after she ended her high-profile visit to Taiwan.

China is preparing to launch its largest military maneuvers in 25 years in response to Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

After visiting Taiwan, Pelosi and other members of Congress flew to South Korea, a key ally of the U.S. They are going to travel to Japan.

Pelosi met South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin Pyo and other senior members of Parliament for talks on regional security, economic cooperation and climate issues Kim and Pelosi posed for a picture in front of the flags of South Korea and the U.S. before their talks.

A South Korean official said that Pelosi was going to visit the border area that is controlled by the U.N. Command and North Korea.

There are no benefits to a Pelosi visit.

Pelosi would be the highest-level American to go to the Joint Security Area since President Donald Trump went there for a meeting with Kim.

The site of past bloodshed and a venue for numerous talks can be found inside the 4- kilometer Demilitarized Zone. The JSA and other border areas have been visited by top officials from the U.S.

Any statement critical of North Korea by Pelosi is sure to get a strong response from the country. The current situation shows that the U.S. is interfering in other countries' internal affairs.

On Thursday afternoon, Pelosi will speak by phone with the president of South Korea, who is on vacation. There have been no face-to-face meetings between them. Yoon, a conservative, took office in May with a vow to boost South Korea's military alliance with the United States.

Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the first by an incumbent House speaker in 25 years, has angered China, which views the island nation as a separate province. Foreign officials visiting Taiwan are viewed as recognizing the island's sovereignty by China.

Pelosi said in a speech that the world faces a choice between democracy and autocracy. America is determined to preserve democracy around the world.

The United States is still committed to the one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations with Taiwan, according to the Biden administration and Pelosi. Pelosi was allowed to visit despite the administration discouraging her.

Live fire will be used in the military exercises that China will stage in response to Pelosi's visit. In 1995 China fired missiles in a large-scale exercise to show its displeasure over a visit by Taiwan's president to the US.

Fighter jets and other war planes were flown toward Taiwan.

Part of Beijing's military exercises will enter the waters of Taiwan.

Taiwan will not back down in the face of increased military threats. The nation will hold the line of defense for democracy.

John Kirby was the National Security Council's spokesman. He told ABC that U.S. officials don't believe we're at the brink and there's no reason for anyone to talk about it.

Pelosi hopes that China understands that they will not stand in the way of people coming to Taiwan as a show of friendship and of support.

Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan and the world in a more precarious position.

Pelosi said that congressional support for Taiwan is bipartisan. Congress is committed to the security of Taiwan, in order to have Taiwan be able to most effectively defend themselves, she said.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations urged calm in the Taiwan Strait. The situation could lead to serious confrontation, open conflicts and unpredictable consequences among major powers, according to the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The focus of Pelosi has always been the same, she said, going back to her 1991 visit to Beijing's Tiananmen Square, when she and other lawmakers unfurled a small banner in support of democracy. She talked about human rights and the transfer of technology to rogue countries.

Because of her position as leader of the House of Representatives, Pelosi increased U.S.-China tensions more than any other member of congress. Gingrich visited Taiwan in 1997.

There are no official relations between China and Taiwan, but they have billions of dollars in business ties.

The person was reporting from Taiwan. David Rising is an Associated Press writer.

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