By UN Journal Kayla Lee United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met on April 3 in Brussels to strengthen trilateral cooperation in advancing the safety, security, and prosperity of our three countries and the broader Indo-Pacific region, while upholding shared principles including the rule of law. The Secretary and Foreign Ministers emphasized the importance of NATO’s cooperation with Indo-Pacific Partners to ensure the ability to swiftly respond to security developments and challenges in the Euro
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul met with representatives of organizations for abductees and prisoners of war (POWs), and the families of Korean missionaries who are detained in North Korea on Feb. 5. Among the participants in the meeting were Chief Director Lee Sung Eui of the Korean War Abductees' Families Association, Representative Son Myeong-hwa of the Korean War POW Family Association, Kim Jeong-sam (brother of missionary Kim Jung-wook, who has been detained in North Korea since 2013), and Choi Jin-young (son of missionary Choi Chun-gil, who has been detain
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul presided over the Fourth Overseas Nationals Protection Committee Meeting on December 9, with the participation of government members from relevant ministries and six civilian members. The Committee reviewed the implementation results of the 2024 Overseas Nationals Protection Plan, and deliberated on and approved the 2025 Plan. In addition, the Committee discussed current issues, including the protection of overseas nationals in some conflict regions of the Middle East and measures to strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation in a
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,
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul hosted a welcome dinner on Nov. 22, 2024, for key participants of the Boao Forum for Asia Seoul Conference 2024. During the dinner, he exchanged views on international issues and ways to strengthen regional cooperation, while also introducing the efforts and plans of the Republic of Korea to realize its vision of becoming a Global Pivotal State. The dinner was attended by notable figures, including Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia Ban Ki-moon (former UN Secretary-General), Secretary-General of the Boao Forum for Asia Zhang Jun
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with a bipartisan delegation of seven U.S. Senators, including Senators Bill Hagerty and Chris Coons, to exchange views on issues of mutual interest, including U.S.-ROK relations, Korean Peninsula issues, and regional and global cooperation on Sept. 3. Minister Cho welcomed the group of senators, who are among his closest allies, and expressed his appreciation for their efforts to build bipartisan support for the ROK-U.S. alliance and U.S.-Japan-Korea cooperation in the U.S. Congress. He also noted that the U.S.-ROK alliance is stronger
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with Richard Hatchett, CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), who is visiting South Korea, to discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation, including CEPI's investment in Korean biotech companies on Aug. 26. Cho explained that the South Korean government is expanding its contributions to the international community with a significant increase in its ODA budget this year, and the $18 million in support for CEPI this year is part of its commitment to contribute to strengthening the global health system. Hatchett
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul delivered a special lecture during the opening ceremony of the 10th Global Korean Politicians Forum on August 20. In his lecture, Minister Cho elaborated on Korea’s diplomacy as a Global Pivotal State to overseas Korean politicians actively working around the world and urged them to continue serving as a bridge between Korean communities abroad and the homeland. The Global Korean Politicians Forum is a significant event where overseas Korean politicians from across the globe gather to explore ways of mutual development between Kor
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held a Foreign Ministerial Meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly in Seoul to exchange views on bilateral relations, regional and global developments on July 18. The two ministers noted that recent exchanges and communications between the leaders and ministers of the two countries demonstrate the importance that both sides attach to the Korea-Canada relationship, and adopted the Korea-Canada Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Action Plan as a follow-up to the May 2023 Korea-Canada Summit. The Action Plan is designed
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held a luncheon meeting with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters on July 15 to exchange views on issues of common interest, including high-level exchanges, practical cooperation, including the economy, and the Korean Peninsula and key regional issues. Cho noted that New Zealand is a longtime ally that participated in the Korean War, and that the two countries have maintained close communication and cooperation as similarly situated countries with shared values. In response, Deputy Prime Minister Peters empha
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul hosted a luncheon for diplomatic corps members from countries that participated in the Korean War in Daegu, Korea, to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the Korean War on June 25. The luncheon was organized to honor the sacrifices and hard work of the 22 participating countries and more than 2 million veterans who contributed to the defense of Korea's freedom and democracy. Military support countries are the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Turkiye, Australia, Greece, Philippines, Thailand, Ethiopia, Netherlands, Colombia, New Zealand
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, representing the Republic of Korea's presidency of the Security Council, chaired an open debate on "Threats in Cyberspace and the Security of International Peace" at the UN Security Council in New York on June 20. The discussion, the first face-to-face meeting of the Security Council on cybersecurity, was attended by nearly 70 countries, including all 15 Security Council members, and featured UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Cyber Peace Institute CEO Stephane Duguin. Prior to the open discussion, Minister Cho delivered a joint state
UNJournal Jon Lee | Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul hosted a luncheon to welcome visiting ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn on May 28 and exchanged views on: the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations this year; the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP); the implementation of the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI); and ways to advance ASEAN-ROK practical cooperation. Cho noted that ASEAN and South Korea have been inseparable partners since the establishment of dialogue relations in 1989, and stressed that South Korea will continue to deepen
UNJournal Kayla Lee | Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul met with visiting International Crisis Group on May 28 and exchanged views on the importance of the Global South, which encompasses developing countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia, as well as cooperation measures, the international situation, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. As the strategic position of the Global South is strengthening under the geopolitical transformation, including the intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition, the war in Ukraine, and the crisis in the Mid
By UN Journal Kayla Lee While attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers' Meeting (April 3-4, Brussels), Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held back-to-back meetings with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky and Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot on April 4 to discuss bilateral relations, cooperation in the international arena, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the region. During the meeting with Minister Lipavsky, Minister Cho expressed his hope that the two countries, which share universal values, will continue to strengthen high-level ex