Cho Hyun: "Broad Agreement Reached on South Korea-US Security"... Announcement Planned Within This Month

Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that he is working on a plan to announce the results of security negotiations between South Korea and the United States within this month.

Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is giving an interview to Yonhap News Agency at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul on October 2, 2025. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to Yonhap News Agency on October 2, Minister Cho said in an interview held the previous day, "A broad agreement has already been reached in the security sector between South Korea and the United States," and added, "It would be ideal if the economic and security negotiations could be concluded together as a package, but even if that is not possible, we are considering a plan to finalize and announce each agreement individually in consultation with the US side, as much as possible." He further stated, "We are aiming to achieve a breakthrough before the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit." The APEC summit is scheduled to take place on October 31.

This statement suggests the possibility that the security sector, which was initially expected to be announced as part of a package, may be concluded separately, as tariff negotiations regarding the details of the '35 billion dollar investment fund for the US' are facing difficulties. While Minister Cho did not provide specific details about the security negotiations, he said, "We will be able to enhance our defense capabilities in the necessary areas, and, in agreement with the United States, pursue the initiatives we have wanted to undertake."

The South Korea-US security negotiations are believed to include discussions on increasing South Korea's defense budget and the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON). The United States is demanding that its allies increase their defense spending to 3.5% of their GDP. When asked about the scale of the defense budget increase, Minister Cho responded, "We are raising the defense budget to an appropriate level, and in fact, we are doing this based on our own needs," adding, "Diplomacy ultimately aims to ensure national security, so it is only logical for us to strengthen our defense capabilities."

There is also interest in whether the South Korea-US nuclear cooperation agreement will be revised to grant South Korea the authority to enrich and reprocess nuclear fuel. Minister Cho said, "The general direction is agreed upon, but there are still difficult negotiations ahead," and pointed out, "We must be cautious when politicians say things like 'We will pursue independent nuclear armament' or 'We must become a potential nuclear-armed state by obtaining enrichment and reprocessing rights.' Such statements could hinder the negotiations." He emphasized, "Our approach is strictly from an industrial and environmental perspective, and we must consistently maintain this stance." When asked whether the contents of the nuclear cooperation agreement revision could be included in the security agreement to be announced before APEC, he responded positively, "That is possible."

Meanwhile, regarding the possibility of resuming North Korea-US dialogue on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Gyeongju at the end of this month, Minister Cho said, "We cannot rule out the possibility of President Trump coming here and meeting with Chairman Kim Jong Un," adding, "(The South Korean government) is willing to provide support if that happens." He also expressed hope, saying, "I hope this will serve as a path toward easing tensions and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula."