By UN Journal Kayla Lee
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul attended the second Group of Seven (G7) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, to discuss diplomatic and security issues in the region, including Russia’s illegal military cooperation with North Korea, and to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between Korea and the G7 on Nov. 25~26..
The meeting, which was attended by foreign ministers from G7 member and guest countries and representatives of invited international organizations, discussed major diplomatic and security issues in Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific region, and the Middle East, and Minister Cho participated in a special outreach session on 'Enhancing Cooperation and Connectivity in the Indo-Pacific Region' to discuss key issues.
Noting that the security of Europe and the Asia-Pacific region have never been so closely linked since 1950, and that the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia is a matter of special concern for the international community as it is the first time in history that Asian troops have been deployed to a European battlefield at the request of a European country, Minister Cho explained the diplomatic and security strategies and measures taken by the Korean government in Ukraine, Russia, and North Korea, respectively.
Cho also emphasized the need for close cooperation between the international community, including Europe and like-minded countries in the Asia-Pacific region, to stop illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
In addition to Russo-DPRK military cooperation, participants in the meeting also discussed each country's Indo-Pacific strategy and ways to strengthen cooperation with the G7.
Minister Cho outlined the diplomatic initiatives that Korea has undertaken in the framework of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, including cooperation with ASEAN and the ASEAN-ROK partnership, and emphasized the need to maintain peace and stability in the region's waters, including the South China Sea, and the need to respect the principles of international law.
He said that as the chair of APEC next year, South Korea will strive to strengthen connectivity among the region's economies.
In addition, Minister Cho emphasized the need to maintain a norm-based international order to respond to complex global crises such as geopolitical competition and the fragmentation of the global economic order, and expressed Korea's willingness to continue to cooperate with the G7 on various issues as a major country in the region.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Cho also held bilateral foreign ministerial meetings with France, Italy, Japan, Canada, Ukraine, Indonesia, and India, and discussed ways to strengthen practical cooperation with each country.
Minister Cho's participation in the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting was at the invitation of this year's chair, Italy, and is considered to be an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Korea and the G7 to respond to global crises and enhance Korea's status as a global pivotal country.
The Korean government plans to continue to strengthen cooperation with the G7 in responding to major diplomatic and security issues.
