Seoul: The nominee for foreign minister, Cho Hyun, announced his commitment to working towards peace on the Korean Peninsula through facilitating dialogue between North Korea and the United States. This initiative is set to be a key foreign policy priority for the Lee Jae Myung administration, should Cho be appointed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho emphasized his dedication to realizing President Lee's vision of peace during a press briefing, which followed his recent nomination for the top diplomatic position. "I believe that facilitating dialogue between North Korea and the United States to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula is one of the top priorities of the Lee Jae Myung government's foreign and unification policy," Cho stated.
Cho further expressed his intention to collaborate closely with the United States and other aligned nations to eliminate any obstacles in achieving this diplomatic goal. Addressing questions regarding alliance issues with the U.S., such as President Donald Trump's tariff hikes and defense cost-sharing demands, Cho advocated for a "calm and wise" strategy aligned with Lee Jae Myung's "pragmatic" diplomacy.
Highlighting the need for a carefully crafted strategy, Cho remarked, "We need to carefully craft a well-thought-out strategy, based on this pragmatic approach, and carry it out calmly, wisely and quietly." Cho's extensive background includes serving as both the first and second vice ministers under the Moon Jae-in administration and his role as South Korean ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 to 2022, where he gained significant experience in multilateral diplomacy and trade issues.