Top diplomat discusses bilateral, security issues with counterparts at G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting
Published: 23 Feb. 2025, 16:30
Updated: 23 Feb. 2025, 16:45
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- LIM JEONG-WON
- [email protected]
![South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, right, and High Representative of the European Union (EU) Kaja Kallas shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Feb. 22. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/23/349a0749-304c-4138-a06a-5c333eab9ada.jpg)
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, right, and High Representative of the European Union (EU) Kaja Kallas shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Feb. 22. [NEWS1]
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul stressed the importance of strategic partnerships in a series of meetings with foreign ministers from European and African countries in a Group of 20 foreign ministerial meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, over Thursday and Friday, Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.
Cho also said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Saturday that South Korea’s strategic value in the international community remains unchanged even under its current acting presidency amid ongoing political uncertainties regarding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Seoul's top envoy held bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of Spain, the European Union (EU), the Netherlands, Algeria and South Africa on Friday and discussed ways to strengthen substantive cooperation, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Cho evaluated the expanding and developing South Korea-EU relations in his bilateral talks with High Representative of the European Union (EU) Kaja Kallas, and Kallas said that she values cooperation with South Korea, a defense industry powerhouse.
The two sides agreed to continue consultations to implement the Security and Defense Partnership and to continue efforts to cooperate in areas of practical cooperation such as the economy and science and technology.
Cho and the foreign ministers of the EU, the Netherlands and Spain also exchanged opinions on issues of common interest such as the war in Ukraine and the status of the armistice negotiations, U.S.-North Korea relations after the launch of the new U.S. administration, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
In his first bilateral meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veltkamp, Cho assessed that the two countries are deepening their strategic partnership in various areas such as diplomacy, security and the economy.
Veltkamp evaluated that South Korea is stabilizing its domestic situation through democratic procedures and expressed hope that the partnership between the two countries will be further developed based on this.
The two ministers also agreed to continue consultations on the establishment of a "semiconductor alliance" by holding a foreign affairs and industry two-plus-two ministerial meeting as soon as possible.
Cho also said that he would like to activate major consultative bodies such as a strategic dialogue and economic joint committees with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno to promote substantive cooperation, and that he hopes to discuss joint advancement plans with third countries such as those in Central and South America based on these.
![South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul delivers remarks during a session of the foreign ministers' meeting of the Group of 20 nations in Johannesburg, South Africa, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry in Seoul on Feb. 22. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/23/c8c96609-7eb5-4a60-ae84-e6b475d7b41b.jpg)
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul delivers remarks during a session of the foreign ministers' meeting of the Group of 20 nations in Johannesburg, South Africa, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry in Seoul on Feb. 22. [MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS]
Cho discussed ways to expand cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and defense in bilateral meetings with South African Foreign Minister Ronald Ozzy Lamola and Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf.
Cho also held meetings with the British and Australian foreign ministers the day before to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation and exchange positions on global issues.
Cho further addressed concerns regarding South Korea’s domestic political situation affecting its diplomacy during an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Johannesburg.
“South Korea has sufficient strategic value in the international community, and this remains unchanged even under an acting presidency,” said Cho.
He also stressed the importance of South Korea strengthening ties with other middle-power countries, citing growing global uncertainties following the launch of the second Donald Trump administration.
“We must now expand our sights beyond the four powers near the Korean Peninsula [of the United States, China, Japan and Russia], the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,” said Cho, referring to the Netherlands, Australia and Canada and middle powers.
BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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