Munich: Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is set to hold his first meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this weekend in Munich, Germany, on the margins of a multilateral security conference. This information was disclosed by the foreign ministry on Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the talks between Cho and Rubio are expected to cover significant topics such as North Korean nuclear issues, trilateral cooperation with Japan, and bilateral economic relations. Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong highlighted these agenda items during a recent press briefing.
Both Cho and Rubio are slated to attend the 61st Munich Security Conference, which takes place from Friday to Sunday. Their discussions are scheduled for Saturday and are expected to last approximately 30 minutes. This meeting will be the first direct dialogue between the South Korean and U.S. top diplomats since President Donald Trump began his second term in January.
This trip marks Cho's first international engagement following the political upheaval in South Korea, which was triggered by the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol after a brief martial law declaration in December. This incident had created a temporary leadership gap in the country.
Additionally, Seoul and Washington are reportedly organizing separate trilateral discussions with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, also set to occur on Saturday, on the conference sidelines. During their bilateral meeting, Cho and Rubio are anticipated to confirm their dedication to bolstering the South Korea-U.S. alliance under Trump's administration and to synchronize their strategies on North Korea's denuclearization.
Cho is also likely to underscore South Korea's role in supporting U.S. military forces stationed on its soil and to share Seoul's stance on Trump's recent imposition of new import tariffs, as per the ministry's statement.
The two diplomats had their inaugural phone conversation on January 23, during which they agreed to continue close collaboration on North Korean nuclear concerns. While Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also attending the conference, no talks between him and Cho have been planned at this point.
Following the Munich conference, Cho is scheduled to attend the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Group of 20 in Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 20 and 21.