Cho Hyun: "Plans for South Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting This Month... Alliance Fundamentally Solid"

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun stated that he plans to hold a South Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio within this month. Given the current landscape, with major agenda items such as contributions to the security of the Strait of Hormuz, follow-up security consultations between South Korea and the U.S., and North Korea policy, discussions between the two governments are drawing significant attention.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun attended the National Assembly plenary session held on the 10th for questions to the government on diplomacy, unification, and security, responding to lawmakers' inquiries. 2026.09.10 Photo by Dongju Yoon

On September 10, in response to a question from Rep. Kim Byungjoo of the Democratic Party of Korea regarding his assessment of the South Korea-U.S. alliance during a National Assembly session, Minister Cho said, "The South Korea-U.S. alliance remains fundamentally strong," and made the above remarks.

He added, "Even in a robust alliance, there can be various disagreements. Our government, in accordance with this spirit, has resolved problematic issues through close consultations with the United States." He went on to say, "There have been ongoing foreign ministers' meetings between South Korea and the U.S., and another is planned within this month as well."

Minister Cho and Secretary Rubio held a phone call on August 24, discussing bilateral relations and issues regarding the Korean Peninsula. At that time, the two ministers agreed to meet in person soon for more in-depth discussions on key topics.

In particular, attention is focused on whether substantive progress will be made on follow-up consultations in the security sector—agreed upon at last year's South Korea-U.S. summit—given that these talks have not gained much momentum. In June, the two countries held the first inter-agency meeting in Seoul to discuss follow-up security measures outlined in the summit's Joint Factsheet (JFS), including constructing nuclear-powered submarines and expanding authority over uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing. However, there have been no official follow-up negotiations since then.

Minister Cho previously remarked on August 5, "Although there have not been additional formal negotiations following the last round, working-level discussions have been continuing. We expect high-level negotiations to be held soon." At that time, he explained that various circumstances, such as the war in the Middle East, were delaying high-level talks, and indicated his intention to seek consultations with Secretary Rubio on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.

The need for further coordination on North Korea policy between South Korea and the U.S. has also grown. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his willingness to resume dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and instructed that the joint military exercise "Ulchi Freedom Shield" (UFS) be drastically scaled down. Controversy arose as the South Korean government was reportedly not informed of this decision in advance. At the time, Minister Cho explained that he himself learned of the decision via social networking services (SNS), and added that U.S. officials had also not been informed beforehand.

Recently, the issue of South Korea’s contribution to the security of the Strait of Hormuz has remained on the bilateral agenda. The Trump Administration has requested that South Korea contribute, including dispatching troops, to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The government is reviewing several possible ways to contribute in this regard. It was reported that a small field survey team from the Ministry of National Defense, which had been dispatched to the Middle East to assess the local situation, returned to South Korea on this day. However, the Ministry of National Defense clarified that the local survey was not premised on a troop dispatch, and that no decision has been made regarding any potential deployment.

Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Duhee stated during the same National Assembly session, "Rather than basing our approach on timing or the U.S. side, the government will prioritize the safety of our people and the interests of the nation. We are not making preparations for or presupposing a troop dispatch; we are currently at the stage of broadly assessing and reviewing the situation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.