Foreign Minister Cho Tae Yul is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the first time this week in Germany. Minister Cho will attend the Munich Security Conference (MSC), the world’s largest annual international security forum held in Munich, from February 14 to 16.
Vice President JD Vance will represent the United States at this year’s MSC, and Rubio is expected to join the delegation.
The meeting between Cho and Rubio will mark the first talks between the U.S. and South Korea’s foreign ministers since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Cho initially planned to visit Washington, D.C., to meet with Rubio before attending the MSC. However, this has reportedly been postponed due to Rubio’s packed schedule, which includes a Latin American tour and a U.S.-Japan summit.
During their meeting, Cho and Rubio are expected to underscore the ongoing importance of U.S.-South Korea cooperation under the Trump administration. They are likely to emphasize the need for a joint response to issues regarding North Korea, including strengthening ties with Russia and its nuclear and missile programs, while reaffirming the U.S. commitment to extended deterrence.
The ministers may also exchange relevant information regarding the Ukraine war if Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have discussed it. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya may also attend the MSC, raising the possibility of a trilateral meeting of the U.S., South Korea, and Japan foreign ministers. A diplomatic source stated that the focus will be arranging bilateral talks between the U.S. and South Korea and a trilateral meeting between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan.
China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, a member of the Communist Party’s Central Political Bureau and Foreign Minister, will also be present at the MSC. However, the likelihood of a South Korea-China foreign ministers’ meeting is considered low.