Cho Hyun Explains DMZ Landmine Explosion at G20... "Inter-Korean Communication Is Important"

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun conveyed the South Korean government's position on the landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, saying that dialogue and communication between the two Koreas are important to easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Nov. 1, Cho stated the position at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Atlanta, the United States, on Oct. 30-31 (local time). He noted that deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is having a serious impact on security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. He also said the South Korean government would work to promote peaceful coexistence and ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, and sought the support and cooperation of G20 member countries.

He also stressed the need for international cooperation to ensure freedom of navigation and safety in the Strait of Hormuz and to address threats to food security that directly affect people's livelihoods. In particular, he noted that South Korea had joined the European Union-led "Commitment to Uphold International Maritime Law," which opposes unlawful restrictions on passage through international straits, and said the country would continue contributing to ensuring free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

He also said that South Korea would serve as an energy hub connecting oil-producing and consuming countries, drawing on its refining capacity, oil stockpiling infrastructure and maritime networks, to respond to the energy crisis stemming from the situation in the Middle East and surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI).

On supply chains, he emphasized the need to diversify them to reduce dependence on any particular region or resource. He added that he had outlined South Korea's efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience, including its participation in the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement (FORGE), and said that the agreements on critical minerals reached at the G20 Energy Ministers' Meeting last September should be developed into practical supply chain cooperation.

The government plans to strengthen coordination with member countries to ensure the successful hosting of the G20 Miami Summit next month and sustain tangible outcomes at the G20 level through 2028, when South Korea will hold the presidency.

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