A night of political upheaval in South Korea has upended stability in a key democratic US ally – sending shock waves through the region and Washington at a moment of acute global tension.

The Biden administration has hailed South Korea as a model democracy and bolstered military ties as it relies on the country as a bulwark against North Korea, China and Russia.

Patel and Ryder repeated that the U.S. is continuing its “ironclad commitment” to the U.S.-South Korean alliance despite the events in Seoul. Both said their departments are monitoring the situation and that U.S. troops and citizens, so far, face no changed circumstances on the peninsula.