President Yoon Suk Yeol, center, meets with John Hamre, second from left, president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; former U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger, left; Allison Hooker, second from right, former senior director for Asian affairs at the White House National Security Council; and Victor Cha, Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, at the presidential office in Seoul, in this photo provided by the office, March 6. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with the head of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a U.S. think tank, on Wednesday and exchanged views on the Korea-U.S. alliance and key regional and global issues, his office said.

Yoon met CSIS President John Hamre at the presidential office over lunch and noted the large role the think tank has played as a supporter of the alliance, including by holding annual bilateral forums and establishing the position of Korea Chair.

Yoon stressed the importance of the unchanging support of the U.S. government and public for the allies to advance further for world freedom, peace and prosperity, and asked that the CSIS play a central role in the process, according to his office.

Hamre confirmed the firm support of the U.S. government and public for Korea's vision to become a "global pivotal state," and promised the CSIS' continued efforts to develop the bilateral alliance.

Also in attendance were Victor Cha, Korea Chair at the CSIS, former U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger, and Allison Hooker, former senior director for Asian affairs at the White House National Security Council. (Yonhap)