U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg walks past a backdrop mourning the victims of the Itaewon crowd crush during his meeting with the ruling People Power Party's interim chief Chung Jin-suk at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Nam Hyun-woo

U.S. ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg said Tuesday that Washington will stand with Seoul to overcome the tragedy of the Itaewon crowd crush last weekend, adding deep and close relations between the two countries' peoples can be a source of comfort.

Goldberg made the remarks during separate meetings with the heads of South Korea's rival parties. The U.S. envoy said legislative engagement is the key element of multidimensional cooperation between the allies, and added that the U.S. is working to resolve South Korea's concerns on the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act "in a way that befits the alliance."

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg speaks during his meeting with ruling People Power Party interim leader Chung Jin-suk at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

"Words are insufficient to measure the grief that our two people share as we mourn the loss of so many young lives from both of our countries and from all over the world," Goldberg said during a meeting with ruling People Power Party (PPP) interim chief Chung Jin-suk. "As President Biden said the U.S. stands with the Republic of Korea during this tragic time. We offer our deepest condolences to families of the victims and our earnest hopes for the speedy recovery of those injured."

On Saturday, a huge crowd enjoying Halloween festivities resulted in a crush in a sloped and narrow alley in Itaewon, Seoul, resulting in at least 156 people dead and many more injured as of Tuesday morning. Among the non-Korean victims, two American students died and three were injured.

"Although we are in a difficult moment, we look forward to continuing our close engagement with the National Assembly under your leadership," Goldberg said. "Our alliance rests on many dimensions and legislative engagement is the key element of this. I hope that the deep and close relations between our peoples can be a source of comfort for you and the Korean people in the difficult days ahead."

The U.S. ambassador made similar remarks during his meeting with main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung, adding "tragedies like Saturday's (has) no national boundaries."

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg, right, speaks during his meeting with main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung, left, at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

It was the first time that Goldberg met the leaders of South Korea's rival parties since his arrival in the South as U.S. ambassador. Goldberg started his tenure in Seoul in July.

During the meetings, both party leaders emphasized the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance in deterring North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations.

"I believe it's important for the leaders of our two countries to work to reassure the [South] Korean public that we will be able to overcome the current crisis based upon the [South] Korea-U.S. alliance," the PPP chairman said. "I sincerely hope that we will continue to make efforts to maintain military preparedness."

The DPK chairman said Koreans have "full trust" in the U.S.' commitment to defend South Korea, and he is convinced that Seoul does not need any type of nuclear weapons as long as the U.S. maintains extended deterrence.

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.' promise to provide protection to its non-nuclear allies by using its strategic assets. As North Korea's repeated missile and nuclear threats raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula, some members of the conservative ruling party have been calling for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea, while the liberal opposition is opposed to it.

"As you said in your remarks last month, the argument for the redeployment of tactical nukes is irresponsible and not worth our consideration," Lee said, referring to Goldberg's remarks during a forum organized by the Kwanhun Club on Oct. 26.

Goldberg responded by noting that the Seoul-Washington alliance will meet its 70th anniversary next year, and he is glad to see that the alliance has "bipartisan support."

In regards to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, whose incentive schemes are feared to discourage South Korean carmakers' electric vehicle sales in the U.S., Goldberg said the U.S. acknowledges the concerns of South Korean industries, and added, "We are working with our [South] Korean allies to try to resolve those issues in a way that befits our alliance."