US Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously lauded Yoon

While the Biden administration has thus far remained mostly silent on Yoon’s declaration of martial law, US officials have praised the president at events in recent months, including a pro-democracy summit that his government hosted in March.

“President Yoon has said that the United States and Korea are marching together toward the future. Today is another reflection of the work that we’re doing together, the fact that we are joined together in building a better, more secure, more prosperous future for all of our people,” Blinken said at a news event in October.

At a state luncheon honouring Yoon in April 2023, Blinken, known to incorporate music into his public appearances, complimented Yoon on his own singing skills, saying that he had “brought down the house” when he sang the song American Pie at a previous event.