Korea-US Diplomacy "Sharing Information and Cooperating on North Korean Military War Deployment"

Cho Tae-yeol Urges Continuity of Achievements in the Korea-US Alliance

Cho Tae-yeol, Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, who visited the United States to attend the Korea-US Foreign and Defense Ministers' Meeting (2+2), held a Korea-US foreign ministers' meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the Korean Peninsula issue.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 1st that the two ministers held talks on the 31st (local time) and shared concerns about the current situation where military cooperation between Russia and North Korea has practically extended to troop dispatch. Both sides agreed to closely share information and cooperate regarding the actual deployment of North Korean troops and additional troop dispatch trends.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol departing for the United States [Photo by Yonhap News]

Minister Cho requested Secretary Blinken’s role to ensure that key achievements such as strengthening Korea-US-Japan cooperation following the Camp David summit and enhancing the execution capability of extended deterrence through the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) established by the Washington Declaration are properly handed over to the next US administration.

In addition, the two ministers agreed to maintain close communication on various occasions, including major diplomatic schedules in the second half of the year such as the Group of Twenty (G20) summit and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and to make joint efforts to hold a Korea-US-Japan summit within the year.

Secretary Blinken stated that bipartisan support for the Korea-US alliance remains strong in the United States and pledged to do his part to further develop bilateral relations going forward.

On the 31st (local time) in Washington, D.C., USA, the ministers of both countries held a joint press conference after concluding the 6th Korea-US Foreign and Defense (2+2) Ministerial Meeting. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, Minister Cho also met with Philip Gordon, US Vice President’s National Security Advisor. Advisor Gordon is the top foreign and security aide to Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, and is considered a likely candidate for a National Security Council (NSC) advisor position if Vice President Harris assumes office.

Both sides shared concerns about the grave situation where North Korea-Russia military cooperation has expanded beyond weapons support to troop dispatch, clearly stating that such illegal acts cannot be tolerated. They also agreed that Korea and the US will closely monitor developments and respond firmly based on international solidarity.