Korean Diplomacy on the Move: Minister Cho Tae-yeol Embarks on Historic U.S. and Canada Tour, Reviving the Spirit of Shinmungo

▲ Ministry of Foreign Affairs

[시사일보=유양수 기자] Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol plans to visit the United States and Canada from October 30 to November 2.

On the occasion of his visit to the United States, Minister Cho, along with Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III, will attend the 6th Korea-U.S. Diplomatic and Defense Summit held in Washington, D.C. on October 31. +2) I plan to attend the ministerial meeting. At this meeting, the ministers of the two countries plan to conduct in-depth and comprehensive discussions as a global comprehensive strategic alliance on Korean Peninsula issues, ROK-US alliance cooperation, and regional issues, and adopt a joint statement reflecting the results of the meeting.

Additionally, Minister Cho will hold a ROK-US Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Secretary of State Blinken during his visit to Washington to discuss the ROK-US alliance, Korea-US-Japan cooperation, and ways to cooperate between Korea and the US on North Korea issues. In addition, he plans to meet with members of the U.S. government and academia to ask for their unwavering support and cooperation in the development of the ROK-U.S. alliance.

Minister Cho will then visit Ottawa, Canada, and hold the first Korea-Korea Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting on November 1 with Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, and Defense Minister Bill Blair. . This conference is the third foreign affairs and defense (2+2) conference to be launched, following the United States and Australia. The ministers of the two countries plan to discuss issues on the Korean Peninsula, major regional and global issues, and ways to cooperate in the defense, security, and defense industries of the two countries, and adopt a joint statement containing the outcomes of the meeting.

In addition, Minister Cho held a meeting with Foreign Minister Jolie for the first time in three months on the occasion of his visit to Ottawa, and discussed ways to promote substantive cooperation between the two countries based on the Korea-Canada Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Action Plan adopted in July, as well as Korean Peninsula issues and global issues. We plan to exchange opinions on strategic cooperation, etc.

Minister Cho’s current visit to the United States is expected to be an opportunity to reaffirm the unwavering and solid ROK-U.S. alliance under the severe security environment on the Korean Peninsula and to closely discuss major alliance issues, including the recently deepened military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. In addition, it is expected to be a good opportunity to establish a foundation for institutionalizing the security and defense industry partnership between the two countries with Canada, a key ally.