[the300] On the 21st (local time) at the U.S. State Department in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posed for a photo after the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Takeshi Iwaya. Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held a phone call with the new U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to exchange views on Korea-U.S. relations, North Korea issues, and Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation. This was the first phone conversation between the foreign ministers of South Korea and the U.S. since President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 23rd, Minister Cho welcomed Secretary Rubio’s appointment during the call and expressed hope to further develop the strong Korea-U.S. alliance that has continued for more than 70 years under the new U.S. administration.
Secretary Rubio stated, “The Korea-U.S. alliance is not only a cornerstone of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula but also in the region,” adding that having a call with Minister Cho within 24 hours of taking office demonstrates the importance of the alliance.
Minister Cho emphasized that even under an acting administration, national governance is being conducted stably, and that South Korea’s diplomacy and security policies, based on the Korea-U.S. alliance, will be consistently maintained. He stressed the importance of close communication between South Korea and the U.S., including the call between Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok and President Trump. Secretary Rubio agreed and responded, “I will make every necessary effort. Let’s further strengthen our cooperation.”
Secretary Rubio confirmed that the U.S. defense commitment to South Korea remains ironclad. The two ministers also agreed to maintain close cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue and to further develop Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, which was emphasized during Trump’s first administration.
Secretary Rubio invited Minister Cho to the U.S. for more concrete discussions on Korea-U.S. cooperation plans. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “Both sides agreed to coordinate specific schedules to hold a Korea-U.S. foreign ministers’ meeting in Washington at an earliest mutually convenient time.”