Top diplomats of South Korea, U.S. hold first phone call since Trump's inauguration
Published: 23 Jan. 2025, 18:07
Updated: 23 Jan. 2025, 18:53
-
- SEO JI-EUN
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul holds his first phone call with newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday morning. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/23/b6c46c9c-683b-41c8-a2a7-e0ff799899ac.jpg)
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul holds his first phone call with newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday morning. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held his first phone call with newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, marking the first high-level communication between the two countries since U.S. President Donald Trump’s second inauguration earlier this week.
The two diplomats reaffirmed the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, while Rubio invited Cho to visit Washington as soon as possible. However, North Korea and the nuclear issue were omitted in the U.S. press release following the call, similar to the joint statement that followed the recent Quad foreign ministers' meeting attended by Rubio — leading to speculation that Washington might adopt a softer stance toward the issue.
“I look forward to further strengthening the ironclad Korea-U.S. alliance, which has continued for over 70 years, under the new U.S. administration,” Cho said, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry. He emphasized the importance of close communication between the two nations, including a call between acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok and Trump.
Rubio reaffirmed the “ironclad” U.S. defense commitment to South Korea and described the alliance as a "linchpin" of peace, security and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
Rubio said he reached out to Cho within 24 hours of assuming office to reflect the importance of the bilateral alliance, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry.
The two top diplomats also underscored the “critical importance” of furthering trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan, according to the U.S. State Department.
While the South Korean Foreign Ministry emphasized the two ministers’ agreement to "maintain close cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue," the U.S. State Department’s press release excluded such mention. Instead, the U.S. release highlighted advancing cooperation to address “common challenges” in the Indo-Pacific.
The omission mirrors the joint statement from the foreign ministers from the Quad grouping — the United States, India, Japan and Australia — on Tuesday, where terms like the “complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula were absent. Such rhetoric had been fixtures in previous Quad joint statements. Earlier, Trump and Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power,” a term long-avoided by U.S. officials, as it may legitimize Pyongyang's illicit weapons program and undermine global nonproliferation efforts.
Such occasions sparked concerns in South Korea that the Trump administration may pursue “small deals,” aiming for its arms reductions rather than complete denuclearization.
A senior official from South Korea's Foreign Ministry downplayed concerns that the United States was "still in the process of reviewing its North Korea policy."
“The two ministers agreed to maintain close coordination on the North Korean nuclear issue, and Cho is expected to visit Washington soon to hold in-depth discussions on North Korea and its nuclear program," the official said in a closed-door briefing on Thursday.
Both sides agreed to work toward holding a foreign ministers’ meeting in Washington "at the earliest possible date" to discuss "more specific measures," according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry, possibly in February.
![Then-republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, left, and then-Secretary of State candidate Marco Rubio react during a campaign event in North Carolina on Nov. 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/23/e9189144-3c3f-4aab-9a5c-62228ae5165f.jpg)
Then-republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, left, and then-Secretary of State candidate Marco Rubio react during a campaign event in North Carolina on Nov. 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
Rubio, confirmed as secretary of state by a unanimous 99 to 0 Senate vote, is known for his hawkish stance on authoritarian states like China and North Korea.
In a statement issued Wednesday, he reaffirmed that U.S. foreign policy under Trump would prioritize "core national interest."
“Every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?" he said.
On Wednesday evening, Cho talked on the phone with Kaja Kallas, the EU's new high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, who assumed office on Dec. 1.
The two diplomats agreed to work together to end military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Cho and Kallas called the relationship between South Korea and the EU a "strategic partnership," and discussed regional security.
BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)