Cho Tae-yeol "Prepared Without Delay Compared to Trump... Restoring International Trust"

"Loss of International Trust in Korea Due to Martial Law Situation"
"Reluctant to Resign, but Must Fulfill Responsibilities"

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul responded to concerns about a diplomatic vacuum arising from President Yoon Seok-yeol facing impeachment proceedings by stating, "We are working with an extraordinary determination to ensure that not even a moment of vacuum occurs."

On the 15th, Minister Cho met with reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building and said, "I have repeatedly urged all staff at headquarters and overseas missions to carry out their duties faithfully without being swayed by the domestic political situation." He added, "Under the acting presidential authority system, we will maintain the existing policy direction while managing foreign relations stably," and "We will prioritize efforts to minimize harm and anxiety among the public."

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol is giving a briefing on foreign policy after the impeachment motion at the Government Seoul Office Annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

Minister Cho presented several commitments to cope with the impeachment crisis. These include early securing of international trust in preparation for the Trump administration's inauguration, establishing a thorough readiness posture to prevent any security vacuum based on the Korea-US alliance and Korea-US-Japan cooperation. He also stated that while maintaining close communication with China, efforts will be made to guarantee companies' overseas activities through cooperation between economic ministries and public-private partnerships.

When asked about the reason for opposing but failing to prevent President Yoon's declaration of martial law, he replied, "I have sufficiently expressed my views on that day’s events in the National Assembly," adding, "Since investigations are ongoing, it is not appropriate to provide detailed comments." Regarding his resignation offer immediately after the martial law incident, he said, "I still have no hesitation about stepping down," but added, "There are responsibilities, and even resignation is not free from constraints."

In response to questions about plans for an early visit to the US or intentions to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he said, "Since President Trump’s inauguration, plans for a US visit will be considered if necessary," and "I have spoken with Secretary Blinken by phone, but there are messages to discuss face-to-face, so we will consult with the US."

Regarding the promotion of the Group of Seven (G7) Plus, he stated, "As mentioned in the plenary session of the National Assembly, this incident has somewhat damaged international trust and expectations toward Korea," and "It will take some time and effort to restore that, and we will strive to normalize the situation as soon as possible."