- Completed first 3-night 5-day trip... In-flight meeting: "Most meaningful event was the Korea-US-Japan Summit"
- Promoted nuclear power to each leader... Handed out booklets saying "South Korea's proposal will be the most reasonable"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is holding a press conference on Air Force One on his way back home after attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit on the 30th (local time). /
(Madrid, Spain = Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan) "Leaders of various countries confirmed a firm stance on strong responses to the North Korean nuclear issue and strict tension management."
On the 30th (local time), President Yoon Suk-yeol, after completing the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit schedule, presented a response strategy of 'resuming trilateral military security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan' regarding North Korea's provocations aboard Air Force One en route back to Seoul. President Yoon, who was able to confirm the positions of NATO allies and partner countries on the North Korean nuclear issue, also engaged in 'economic sales' targeting various heads of state, laying the groundwork for overseas support in related industries such as nuclear power, defense, and semiconductors.
On the afternoon of the same day, President Yoon held a press briefing on the plane returning from a five-day, three-night schedule in Madrid, Spain, sharing his reflections on the NATO summit.
In his first overseas trip just over 50 days after taking office, President Yoon cited the 'South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral summit' as the most meaningful event. Meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the three leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues, including the North Korean nuclear problem, in the first trilateral summit held in five years. In particular, the three leaders shared the recognition that North Korea's continuous advancement of its nuclear and missile programs poses a serious threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to East Asia and the international community. They also agreed to closely discuss ways to strengthen the U.S. extended deterrence commitment and enhance trilateral security cooperation to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
Reflecting this, President Yoon once again expressed a firm stance on the North Korean nuclear issue. When asked about NATO member countries' reactions to the North Korean nuclear problem, he emphasized, "The main topics mentioned by the leaders were the Ukraine situation and the North Korean nuclear issue," adding, "At the actual meeting, the level of remarks by the leaders confirmed that a very strong response is necessary for the North Korean nuclear issue and that strict tension management on the Korean Peninsula is required."
He also reiterated trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan. President Yoon stated, "Positions on the North Korean nuclear issue have already been expressed individually or between South Korea and the U.S., but this is the first time in five years that the three leaders have discussed joint responses to North Korea," adding, "We agreed in principle that it is desirable to resume military security cooperation, which had been suspended for a considerable period, to respond to North Korea." However, he refrained from going into details, saying, "More detailed and specific matters will be further advanced through ongoing discussions among the foreign ministers, defense ministers, and security officials of each country."
Regarding China, which has shown sensitive reactions before and after the NATO summit, President Yoon avoided direct mention but reiterated the principle that "international and domestic issues should be handled with a spirit of upholding universally pursued values and norms." He explained, "Even if someone violates norms or values pursued by society domestically, it does not mean that person is excluded from our society," adding, "Even if different actions are taken, it is merely an act to confirm, declare, and uphold the values our society pursues together."
He also revealed his belief that cooperation between South Korea and Japan is possible, sparked by his meeting with Prime Minister Kishida. In response to reporters' questions about resolving historical issues, President Yoon added, "Both historical issues and future issues between the two countries must be placed on the same table and solved together." His judgment is that without progress on historical issues, discussions on current and future matters cannot proceed.
Regarding the 'economic sales,' considered another achievement of this NATO summit, President Yoon expressed confidence. He revealed that he personally distributed brochures about the Korean-developed nuclear reactor model 'APR1400' to various heads of state. He particularly mentioned confidently explaining to the leaders, "Korean nuclear power plants are the cheapest, safest, and can be constructed the fastest in the world. When your staff receive reports and proposals from our competitors or companies, you will realize that South Korea's proposal is the most reasonable."
President Yoon said, "European countries attending the NATO meeting showed considerable interest in new nuclear power plants from the perspective of energy security, recognizing the Ukraine situation and the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050," adding, "While explaining to the leaders and introducing booklets, I received a lot of interest."
Regarding the '2030 Busan Expo,' he stated, "It is not a matter of lobbying," and added, "I made sure to talk about Busan with every leader I met. I explained in detail the preparation status and South Korea's Expo capabilities." During the trip, President Yoon reportedly explained to various leaders, "As a country that has also hosted the World Cup, we demonstrate world-class levels in various fields from traditional industries to digital advanced industries, and we can best provide the foundation to properly showcase your industrial achievements."
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