Ministry of Foreign Affairs "Actively Considering U.S. IPEF to Contain China"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] On the 24th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it is actively considering the 'Indo-Pacific Economic Framework' (IPEF) being promoted by the United States to counter China.

Choi Young-sam, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the regular briefing on the day regarding the review of IPEF, "Our government welcomes IPEF actively."

Spokesperson Choi explained that this position was officially conveyed to the U.S. side through diplomatic channels such as the Korea-U.S. Deputy Foreign Ministers' call on the 16th and the Deputy Economic Minister's video conference on the 23rd.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also told reporters, "There were many questions about whether the government is passively reviewing it and what role the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays," emphasizing, "The government is basically very proactive."

He added, "Because many of the principles, standards, and philosophies proposed by the U.S. side basically align with what we think," and said, "Through various available diplomatic channels, close consultations and communications are taking place very closely and actively."

IPEF consists of trade promotion, standards for the digital economy and technology, supply chain resilience, decarbonization and clean energy, infrastructure, and labor standards.

Regarding whether he agrees with U.S. President Joe Biden's opinion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, Spokesperson Choi said, "Our government is also concerned that as the invasion of Ukraine prolongs, civilian casualties and the number of refugees are increasing."

Regarding recent voices in the U.S. and some Western countries calling for Russia's expulsion from the Group of Twenty (G20), he stated, "We are aware of this as well, but there has been no official discussion among member countries on this matter yet."

Regarding measures to secure the custody of a Marine who left for Ukraine without permission, he explained, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently closely sharing information with Polish and Ukrainian authorities, continuously tracking the whereabouts of the soldier, and is considering various available measures to ensure the individual can safely return home."

Concerning South Korea's participation as a co-sponsor in the North Korea human rights resolution submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council, he said, "We are currently at the stage of reviewing the draft content."