Seoul: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun expressed South Korea's hope that U.S. President Donald Trump's leadership could be pivotal in overcoming the deadlock in nuclear negotiations with North Korea. The new Lee Jae Myung administration is actively seeking to rekindle dialogue with Pyongyang.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho made these comments during a press conference after a recent visit to Washington. He conveyed to U.S. officials that President Trump's leadership is crucial for developing new strategies to engage North Korea. Cho emphasized that the U.S. responded positively to this perspective and expressed optimism about potential outcomes from Trump's leadership.
Despite North Korea's firm rejection of South Korea's reconciliation attempts and its demand for "new thinking" that excludes denuclearization, Cho remains hopeful. North Korean leader Kim Yo-jong recently labeled South Korea's efforts as unrealistic and dismissed the postponement of joint military drills as ineffective. Nonetheless, Cho stated that Seoul and Washington are in close coordination and working towards a unified stance on North Korea's denuclearization, potentially formalized in a joint statement following an upcoming summit between President Lee and Trump.
The summit agenda aims to expand the U.S.-South Korea alliance into areas such as nuclear energy, shipbuilding, and technology. While Cho refrained from speculating about a potential meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, he emphasized the importance of maintaining hope in diplomatic efforts.
A senior government official noted that future negotiations would likely involve finding common ground rather than focusing solely on North Korea's denuclearization or recognition as a nuclear state. The official also addressed concerns about South Korea's alliance with the U.S., highlighting the mutual benefits of cooperation and the opportunity to enhance national defense capabilities against North Korea's advancing military programs and its alliance with Russia.
Cho's diplomatic efforts also include strengthening ties with Japan and India. His recent trip to Tokyo aimed to counter the perception of an anti-Japan stance by the Lee administration, and he plans to visit India for discussions on deepening their strategic partnership.