Foreign Minister: "Our Goal Is the Same as the Unification Ministry... Diplomatic Efforts to Realize Proposed Ideals"

On December 19, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun addressed the controversy over policy discord with the Ministry of Unification regarding North Korea, stating, "It is not that there are no differences of opinion, but our goal is the same. Only our methodologies differ." He added, "I intend to make every diplomatic effort to turn the ideals presented by the Ministry of Unification into reality."

After reporting to the President on government work that day, Minister Cho held a press conference, where he commented on the so-called 'autonomous faction versus alliance faction' conflict within the government, saying, "There is no such debate within the government. There is only the pragmatic diplomacy faction." He clarified his position accordingly.

Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is delivering the opening address at the opening ceremony of the 2025 APEC Foreign Affairs and Trade Joint Ministerial Meeting held at the Sono Calm Gyeongju Grand Ballroom in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, on the morning of the 30th. 2025.10.30 Photo by Kang Jinhyung

Minister Cho also addressed Unification Minister Chung Dongyoung's presentation of North Korea-related initiatives, such as the Seoul-Beijing high-speed rail, during the work report process, saying, "Personally, my heart raced at the thought of how wonderful it would be if such plans came to fruition." He added, "If you are asking whether the Ministry of Unification's report specifically changes the diplomatic policy direction of the Lee Jaemyung administration, I do not believe that is the case."

When asked whether he agreed with the prerequisite for realizing Minister Chung's vision-namely, the easing of sanctions against North Korea-Minister Cho responded, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently reviewing the position of the Ministry of Unification," and added, "First, we need to consult with the Ministry of Unification, and the National Security Office will coordinate discussions with various ministries to establish the government's position." This suggests a nuanced difference from the Ministry of Unification's stance that lifting sanctions against North Korea is necessary.

When asked whether there had been any discussion about clarifying leadership over North Korea policy, Minister Cho replied, "Who takes the lead is not important," and added, "If progress is made quickly enough that direct talks with North Korea could be held any day now, then the Ministry of Unification should take the lead."

It is reported that, during the closed-door work report, President Lee Jaemyung asked about the May 24 Measures-sanctions against North Korea imposed by the Lee Myungbak administration. Given that Minister Chung reported plans to pursue the easing of sanctions, it is likely that the question was related to this issue.

Regarding the closed-door work report, Minister Cho stated, "I spoke about how we can create diplomatic space for autonomy amid a challenging international situation," and added, "I discussed the ongoing negotiations for ending the Russia-Ukraine war and what will happen if a ceasefire is reached, as well as what actions we should take. I also addressed the potential escalation of tensions between China and Japan and how we should respond if the situation worsens."

Meanwhile, through the President's work report held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that day, Minister Cho stated, "Next year, we will hold a timely South Korea-U.S. summit and ensure that we can confirm the implementation of agreements between the two leaders. In particular, we will make tangible progress in the areas of nuclear-powered submarines, nuclear energy cooperation, and shipbuilding." He also announced plans to pursue the resumption of dialogue with North Korea in close coordination with the United States.

In addition, Minister Cho reported on the following: ▲ promoting the President's state visit to China ▲ continuing shuttle diplomacy with Japan ▲ maintaining necessary communication with Russia ▲ pursuing accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) ▲ reorganizing overseas diplomatic missions ▲ and advancing the platformization of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to integrate the official development assistance (ODA) system.