Interview with the Associated Press in New York, United States
Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun strongly urged U.S. President Donald Trump to engage with North Korea, stating, "It would be fantastic if they (Trump and Kim Jong Un) were to meet in the near future."
On the 26th (local time), Minister Cho made these remarks during an interview with the Associated Press at the Korean Mission to the United Nations in New York. He conveyed that President Lee Jaemyung had requested President Trump to take a leading role in peace negotiations on the Korean Peninsula.
According to Minister Cho, President Lee asked President Trump to become a "peacemaker," while expressing his own willingness to be content with serving as a "pacemaker."
Minister Cho stated that he does not mind if South Korea does not take the lead on North Korea issues, emphasizing, "Rather, we want President Trump to demonstrate leadership and bring North Korea to the negotiating table." He added that President Trump welcomed President Lee's request and expressed his willingness to resume dialogue with North Korea.
Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is speaking about the direction of foreign policy at the SFCC Foreign Correspondents' Meeting held on the 19th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Cho Yongjun
The South Korean government requested President Trump to resume dialogue with North Korea because the current international situation is more unstable than ever.
Minister Cho noted that the world has become "much more unstable" since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, stating, "As a result, we are equally concerned about any potential military conflict that could occur on the Korean Peninsula." He added, "That is why we have no choice but to seek dialogue with North Korea to reduce military tensions," and emphasized, "At the very least, we want to establish a hotline."
Regarding the incident in the early morning of the 26th, when a North Korean merchant ship crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea and the South Korean military fired warning shots, Minister Cho said, "It is not surprising at all." However, he stressed, "This incident underscores the necessity of the new government's policy to establish a military hotline, reduce military tensions, and build mutual trust between the two sides."
Minister Cho stated that since his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has been working to improve relations with neighboring countries, including Japan and China. In particular, regarding relations with China, he mentioned having a "very constructive and positive meeting" with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, but pointed out that "something" installed by China in the West Sea infringes on South Korea's sovereignty. He made it clear that "it must be removed, and if not, we will consider taking appropriate measures."
Regarding the detention of South Korean nationals in Georgia, United States, Minister Cho said that during his visit to Washington, he had a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which produced a "silver lining" by providing a hopeful outcome to the longstanding visa issue.
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