Synopsis
In Johannesburg, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul asserted that South Korea's global strategic value remains unchanged despite the political turmoil caused by President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. He emphasized the importance of strengthening ties with middle powers and discussed cooperation with US lawmakers.Key Takeaways
- Strategic significance of South Korea remains stable.
- Cho held crucial talks with US lawmakers.
- Importance of strengthening ties with middle powers.
- Engaged in discussions at the G20 summit.
- Achieved unexpected results from ministerial meetings.
Johannesburg, Feb 23 (NationPress) South Korea's strategic significance in the global arena remains stable despite the current acting presidency, as emphasized by Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul amidst ongoing political turbulence following President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment. Cho shared his insights during an interview with the Yonhap News Agency in Johannesburg after attending a G20 foreign ministers' meeting.
He stated, "South Korea possesses substantial strategic importance within the international community, which remains intact even under the acting presidency," adding that he had discussions with several US lawmakers focused on foreign affairs during his recent trip to Munich.
Among those he met were Sen. James Risch (R-ID), who leads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the committee's ranking member, and Brian Mast (R-FL), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Cho noted. These discussions were reportedly initiated at the request of the US delegation.
“I attended Germany for a South Korea-US foreign ministerial meeting and a trilateral meeting involving South Korea, the US, and Japan, and I achieved results that exceeded expectations,” he remarked.
Additionally, Cho highlighted the necessity for South Korea to fortify its connections with other middle-power nations, in light of the escalating global uncertainties following the initiation of a second term for Donald Trump.
“We must broaden our horizons beyond the four major powers surrounding the Korean Peninsula (the United States, China, Japan, and Russia), as well as the European Union and ASEAN,” Cho mentioned, including countries such as the Netherlands, Australia, and Canada as key middle powers.
During the two-day G20 foreign ministerial summit in Johannesburg that commenced on Thursday, Cho engaged in discussions with counterparts from Australia, Britain, Spain, the European Union, the Netherlands, Algeria, and South Africa.
On Thursday, he also participated in joint discussions with counterparts from Australia, Mexico, Indonesia, and Turkey, nations that are part of the MIKTA group established in 2013 to bolster cooperation on mutual interests.
