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S. Korea's FM Heads to Washington for High-Stakes Talks With Rubio
(MENAFN) South Korea's top diplomat Cho Hyun departed for Washington on Thursday, kicking off a three-day visit centered on talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio that are expected to tackle bilateral economic and security ties, North Korea and the escalating Middle East crisis, local media reported.
Cho is set to meet with Rubio on Friday, US time, a South Korean news agency reported, citing South Korea's Foreign Ministry.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Incheon International Airport west of Seoul, Cho said: "We will have in-depth discussions on various pending issues between the two nations, as well as consultations on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, regional affairs and the international situation."
The trip lands at a tense moment, with Seoul and Washington divided on several fronts — chief among them South Korea's potential role in safeguarding the near-shuttered Strait of Hormuz and the scope of its investment commitments in the US.
US President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Seoul to help restore freedom of navigation through the critical waterway.
Caught between domestic political opposition and warnings from Iran, President Lee Jae Myung's administration is still weighing whether to send military assets to the region.
"Our position remains that no decision has been made yet, and we are reviewing all relevant factors. In doing so, we will prioritize international cooperation while giving foremost consideration to the safety of our people and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," Cho said.
Also unresolved: the fine print of a deal under which South Korea has committed to investing $350 billion in the United States in exchange for reduced tariff rates.
Cho is set to meet with Rubio on Friday, US time, a South Korean news agency reported, citing South Korea's Foreign Ministry.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Incheon International Airport west of Seoul, Cho said: "We will have in-depth discussions on various pending issues between the two nations, as well as consultations on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, regional affairs and the international situation."
The trip lands at a tense moment, with Seoul and Washington divided on several fronts — chief among them South Korea's potential role in safeguarding the near-shuttered Strait of Hormuz and the scope of its investment commitments in the US.
US President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Seoul to help restore freedom of navigation through the critical waterway.
Caught between domestic political opposition and warnings from Iran, President Lee Jae Myung's administration is still weighing whether to send military assets to the region.
"Our position remains that no decision has been made yet, and we are reviewing all relevant factors. In doing so, we will prioritize international cooperation while giving foremost consideration to the safety of our people and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz," Cho said.
Also unresolved: the fine print of a deal under which South Korea has committed to investing $350 billion in the United States in exchange for reduced tariff rates.
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