The White House’s first statement on new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s election victory has made headlines for its focus on Chinese interference, underscoring fears about the Trump administration deprioritizing allied efforts to combat North Korean threats.

“The U.S.-ROK Alliance remains ironclad. While South Korea had a free and fair election, the United States remains concerned and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world,” the White House said in a statement to Reuters and South Korean media outlets on Tuesday

The State Department, by contrast, offered a more traditional diplomatic tone, issuing a separate note