Foreign Minister Cho Hyun commented on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s upcoming visit to China for the Victory Day celebrations (marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the anti-Japanese war and the anti-fascist war) upcoming on Wednesday. Minister Cho noted that this will be Kim’s first appearance on such a multilateral stage. In a way, it signifies North Korea’s emergence onto the international scene. Further noting that it hopes this serves as an opportunity for North Korea to engage with the global community.
Speaking on KBS1’s Sunday Diagnosis Live on July 31, Minister Cho stated that North Korea likely recognizes the limitations of its cooperation with Russia. Further, there is a strong possibility that they are seeking to mend their somewhat strained relationship with China.
However, he expressed concern, saying that if Kim’s visit to China leads to strengthened cooperation with China and Russia, it cannot help but be worried. He added that the government is closely monitoring North Korea’s actions and preparing comprehensive countermeasures.
Regarding the possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju in late October, Minister Cho assessed the likelihood as very low. He emphasized that diplomacy must always be grounded in reality. While they’re preparing for various possibilities, it must also be ready for scenarios that could unfold differently.
He added that if such a summit were to occur, it could serve as a positive step towards easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and, ultimately, North Korea’s denuclearization. Further noting that while it shouldn’t completely rule out the possibility, they are proceeding with extreme caution.
Reflecting on the recent South Korea-U.S. summit held in Washington on July 25, Minister Cho stated that this summit reaffirmed the strong friendship and trust between the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. He noted that based on this, it made significant progress in strengthening our security and encouraging North Korea to engage in denuclearization negotiations to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Minister Cho also outlined South Korea’s diplomatic strategy in the context of the shifting global order. He noted that the international landscape has been significantly disrupted since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The U.S.-China strategic competition has expanded beyond the military realm into technology and industry, rendering the old security from the U.S., economy from China strategy obsolete.
He stressed that South Korea needs to develop a balanced diplomatic approach that considers supply chain restructuring, technological competition, and evolving security dynamics. He highlighted that rather than simply balancing between the U.S. and China, it must proactively expand the role within the changing global order.
On South Korea-China relations, he stated that they remain committed to developing a strategic cooperative partnership with China. He suggested that if President Xi Jinping attends the APEC summit in South Korea, it could provide an opportunity to redefine bilateral relations. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to arrange a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to South Korea or to schedule his own trip to China.
Regarding South Korea-Japan relations, he emphasized that while it acknowledges historical issues, its focus is on strengthening future-oriented cooperation. He further noted that allowing historical disputes to hinder bilateral relations is counterproductive, and its priority is to develop South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation into a mutually beneficial cycle.