Choi Jong-gun, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, “I think there will be good results”

Choi Jong-gun, 1st Vice Foreign Minister, visited Washington, D.C. It is a regular meeting to attend the Korea-US-Japan vice-ministerial level meeting, but attention is focused on major issues such as the US-China summit. Deputy Minister Choi said that the declaration of an end to the war would have good results sooner or later.

Correspondent Pil-gyu Kim from Washington.

[기자]

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-gun, who arrived at Dulles Airport in the United States, emphasized that South Korea and the United States are in the same position with respect to the declaration of an end to the war.

[최종건/외교부 1차관 : 종전선언 추진에 있어서는 한미 간 이견이 없고 이것을 언제 어떻게 하는 방법론을 논의하고 있는 것이니까요.]

Last month, White House National Security Adviser Jace Sullivan said the two countries had different views on the end of the war.

However, Vice Minister Choi made an optimistic outlook.

[최종건/외교부 1차관 : 지금 연말 국면이고 그래서 조만간 좋은 결과가 있지 않을까 싶습니다. 물론 가장 중요한 것은 한미가 이견 없이 합의하고…]

Vice Minister Choi said that they would also discuss ways to induce North Korea to engage in dialogue based on the agreement between South Korea and the United States.

Regarding humanitarian aid to North Korea, he said that South Korea and the U.S. have been communicating and the situation has progressed sufficiently, he said, adding that the important thing is a political decision.

Vice Minister Choi will meet with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on the 16th, and then hold a meeting with the Vice Foreign Ministers of Korea, the US and Japan on the 17th.

On the 15th, there will also be a video summit between US President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which is expected to provide an explanation of the outcome.

It is noteworthy whether this meeting can serve as an opportunity to reduce differences of opinion on the end of the war and move forward.