Foreign Affairs minister engages in dialogue with US Secretary of State

Foreign Affairs minister engages in dialogue with US Secretary of State. January. 24, 2025 08:15. by ????? yea@donga.com.
In a phone call on Thursday morning, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended an invitation to South Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cho Tae-yeol, emphasizing the importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance as “the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity not only on the Korean Peninsula but throughout the entire Indo-Pacific region.”

According to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, Minister Cho and Secretary Rubio discussed key issues, including the enduring KORUS alliance, North Korea’s nuclear program, and trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan. Minister Cho expressed optimism about the alliance's future, saying, "We aim to further develop the KORUS alliance, which has remained steadfast for the past 70 years. South Korea maintains stable governance under the leadership of the acting president, and our diplomatic and security policies remain firmly rooted in the KORUS alliance.” Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad” commitment to its partnership with South Korea. Despite leadership transitions in both the United States and South Korea, the first official communication between the two nations’ top diplomats proceeded smoothly. This exchange underscored the stability of the bilateral relationship and signaled continuity in their shared commitment to regional and global security.

Following the phone call, the Foreign Ministry noted that both ministers pledged close cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue. However, the U.S. State Department’s press release made no specific mention of North Korea’s nuclear program. Instead, the two ministers discussed “advancing ROK-U.S. cooperation to address common challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.” This omission appears to align with President Trump’s characterization of North Korea as a nuclear power, reflecting a shift away from emphasizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in official statements, as was the case in the joint statement by the Quad Foreign Ministers. Minister Cho is expected to visit Washington as early as next month.