Relay Bilateral Talks with Leaders from 10 Countries
President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the South Korea-Germany summit held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC, USA, during the 75th NATO summit on the 10th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News.
President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is visiting the United States to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, began a series of bilateral meetings with leaders from over ten countries starting with a meeting with the German Chancellor on the 10th (local time).
On the same day, President Yoon held consecutive bilateral talks with the leaders of Germany, Canada, and the Netherlands at the Washington Convention Center (WCC), expressing serious concerns over the military and economic cooperation between North Korea and Russia. They also agreed on the importance of strengthening solidarity with the international community to respond to this issue.
In his first meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Yoon exchanged views on ways to develop bilateral relations, regional and global issues, and Germany’s accession to the United Nations (UN) Command. President Yoon said, "As important partners in the Indo-Pacific region and countries sharing common values, Korea and Germany hope to deepen cooperation not only bilaterally but also on global issues such as support for Ukraine, supply chain disruptions, and the climate crisis." He proposed, "Let us continue to deepen communication and cooperation at various levels between our two countries."
Both leaders expressed "serious concerns over North Korea’s provocations continuing and the prolonged war in Ukraine, as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between North Korea and Russia to strengthen mutual military and economic cooperation." They stated, "We will firmly respond in solidarity with the international community to the North Korea-Russia military cooperation that violates Security Council resolutions."
Yoon: "Welcome Germany’s Application to Join UN Command"
Discussion on Germany’s accession to the UN Command was also on the table. President Yoon said, "We welcome Germany’s application to join the UN Command," evaluating that "this initiative shows Germany’s determination to contribute more to upholding the rules-based international order and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula." He added, "We look forward to Germany playing the necessary role as a UN Command member once the related procedures are promptly completed." Germany had hoped to join the UN Command during the Moon Jae-in administration, but the Moon government rejected it.
President Yoon Suk-yeol is shaking hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and taking a commemorative photo during the South Korea-Canada summit held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC, USA, on the 10th (local time), where the 75th NATO summit took place. [Image source=Yonhap News]
At the same venue, President Yoon held a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. President Yoon said, "Since taking office, the comprehensive strategic partnership between our two countries has expanded and deepened more than ever through active high-level exchanges, including mutual visits between our leaders." He added, "In particular, I look forward to institutionalizing and advancing our security cooperation through the '2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting,' a follow-up to the summit held in September 2022."
Prime Minister Trudeau emphasized, "It is important for value-sharing countries, including Korea and Canada, to unite and protect regional and global security." He stressed, "We will closely cooperate through the '2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministers’ Meeting' to strengthen security cooperation with Korea, a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region."
The two leaders also agreed to explore mutually beneficial cooperation in the defense industry related to Canada’s future defense capability enhancement. They expressed serious concerns over North Korea-Russia military cooperation and agreed to firmly respond in solidarity with the international community to the military cooperation that violates Security Council resolutions. Additionally, they shared the intention for close cooperation between Korea, the host of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and Canada, the chair of the Group of Seven (G7). Prime Minister Trudeau said, "I hope cooperation between Korea, which is increasing its contributions on the global stage, and the G7 will be further strengthened."
President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof during the South Korea-Netherlands summit held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC, USA, on the 10th (local time), coinciding with the 75th NATO summit. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Furthermore, President Yoon met with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, who officially took office following former Prime Minister Mark Rutte on the 2nd, and congratulated him on his inauguration. He said, "I hope to expand cooperation with the new Dutch government, a country that participated in the Korean War and shares values with us, in various fields including economic security and advanced technology."
President Yoon specifically mentioned that, following the agreement during his state visit to the Netherlands in December last year, semiconductor dialogues and a semiconductor academy were held in the first half of this year, and next year, the Samsung-ASML research and development (R&D) center is scheduled to be launched. He noted that Korea, which has strengths in memory semiconductor manufacturing, and the Netherlands, a semiconductor equipment powerhouse, will continue close cooperation.
Prime Minister Schoof said, "The new Dutch government will also closely cooperate to deepen the strategic partnership between our two countries," adding, "Let us strengthen cooperation to faithfully implement the agreements made during the president’s state visit and to achieve tangible results in areas such as the semiconductor alliance and science and technology."
Cooperation with the Netherlands on "Semiconductor Alliance and Science & Technology"
The two leaders promised to closely cooperate to present directions for the responsible military use of artificial intelligence (AI) at the second high-level meeting on the responsible military use of AI (REAIM), which the two countries will jointly host in Seoul this September.
They also agreed to closely coordinate responses to North Korea’s continued provocations violating Security Council resolutions and the North Korea-Russia military cooperation, which pose a serious threat to security not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Prime Minister Schoof mentioned that since the NATO summit will be held in the Netherlands next year, they intend to continue close cooperation with Indo-Pacific partner countries including Korea.
Following the bilateral meetings with the leaders of Germany, Canada, and the Netherlands, President Yoon plans to continue a series of meetings with leaders from about ten countries including Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Attending the bilateral meetings were Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, National Security Office Director Jang Ho-jin, Senior Secretary for Economic Affairs Park Chun-seop, Senior Secretary for Public Relations Lee Do-woon, First Deputy Director of the National Security Office Kim Tae-hyo, and Diplomatic Secretary Lee Chung-myeon.
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