Remarks at the Foreign Correspondents' Meeting on the 19th
Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the SFCC Foreign Correspondents' Meeting held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 19th, where he spoke about the diplomatic achievements of the new government and the future direction of diplomatic policy. 2025.9.19 Photo by Jo Yongjun
On the 19th, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun stated regarding the recent detention of Korean nationals in Georgia, United States, that he "believes there will be no issues with their re-entry" to the country.
During a foreign correspondents' meeting at the Seoul Press Center that afternoon, Minister Cho addressed questions from the press raising doubts about the government's position that there would be no disadvantages upon re-entry to the United States. He explained that he had also received assurances from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He added, "Although it is not a prerequisite for Korean investment in the United States, it is in fact a very important issue," and continued, "We will do our utmost to ensure that the matter is resolved in some way before substantial investments begin."
When asked what guidance the government is providing to companies regarding the use of short-term business B1 visas or the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), he responded, "The final authoritative answer on what can be done must come from the U.S. government," and added, "When Korean companies need to send personnel to the United States, we will provide specific explanations and reach agreements as needed to ensure there are no problems."
He also stated, "In the long term, we plan to quickly discuss through a working group the creation of new visa categories or the establishment of a special visa desk for businesspeople at the U.S. Embassy in Korea."
In response to a question about whether Korea would not rush negotiations even if a 25% tariff is imposed in the context of Korea-U.S. trade talks, he said, "That is not the case," and added, "I believe the government must act swiftly to ensure that Korean companies do not suffer any disadvantages."
He further explained, "However, some of the proposals from the United States would impose burdens on our citizens, and in such cases, we must obtain the consent of the National Assembly." He continued, "There are also other areas of concern that we have explained to the U.S. side, and since we need to find a win-win solution, the negotiations are simply being delayed."
Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the SFCC Foreign Correspondents' Meeting held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 19th, where he spoke about the diplomatic achievements of the new government and the future direction of diplomatic policy. 2025.9.19 Photo by Jo Yongjun
Having returned from China the previous day, Minister Cho also expressed his intention to make President Xi Jinping's visit to Korea an opportunity to advance Korea-China relations. From September 17 to 18, he visited Beijing, China for a two-day, one-night trip and met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries since the inauguration of the Lee Jaemyung administration.
Minister Cho stated, "Above all, Korea and China share common ground in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," and noted, "As China's economy has rapidly developed, Chinese companies have now shifted from cooperative to competitive relationships with Korean companies."
In response to a Japanese media question about whether Korea needs to discuss the restrictions on imports of seafood from Fukushima in order to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), he answered, "We cannot lift the restrictions until the concerns of the Korean people about seafood from that region are resolved."
He added, "We will hold necessary negotiations with Japan, but I do not believe that lifting the seafood import restrictions is a precondition for joining the CPTPP."
Regarding Russia, which is currently engaged in the war in Ukraine, he stated, "At this time, we are not considering additional sanctions, nor are we planning to take the initiative in cooperation with Russia."
When asked by Russian media whether Russia could play a mediating role in inter-Korean relations, he said, "If Russia can play such a role, of course we could discuss it," but added, "At this stage, restoring official diplomatic relations with Russia would be somewhat burdensome."
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