Foreign ministers from South Korea and the United States met in Washington, D.C. to discuss bilateral strategic investments, maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, and renewed diplomatic engagement with North Korea, according to official briefings from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened at the U.S. Speaking at a press briefing with traveling reporters following the meeting, Minister Cho outlined the primary agreements reached during the talks, noting that both delegations committed to finalizing ongoing negotiations regarding South Korean strategic investments in the United States.
“We agreed to work toward ensuring that the ongoing strategic investment projects between the two countries bear good fruit, and Secretary Rubio stated that the State Department will also work to ensure the negotiations are successfully concluded,” Minister Cho said during the briefing.
Government officials initially planned to announce a formal memorandum of understanding on U.S. investment alongside a designated flagship project, but those plans were postponed to the following week due to a delayed parliamentary reporting schedule in Seoul. Cho added that both nations remain in continuous communication to implement core agreements from the previous bilateral summit, including commitments outlined in a joint fact sheet.
Strait of Hormuz Deployment and Defense Talks
On the subject of maritime security, Minister Cho explained Seoul’s intent to contribute to restoring free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the two governments will maintain close communication on the matter. According to a senior Foreign Ministry official, when addressing South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s previous statement ruling out any military deployments that involve direct participation or entanglement in active warfare, Secretary Rubio acknowledged Seoul’s position and agreed to pursue close bilateral consultations.
As part of his itinerary in Washington, Minister Cho also met with U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby. The two officials discussed core defense issues, including the eventual transition of wartime operational control and expanded deterrence cooperation. According to ministry summaries, Colby praised South Korea’s efforts to strengthen alliance capabilities—including increases in defense spending—and emphasized the deepening military cooperation between the two allies.
Peninsula Diplomacy and United Nations General Assembly
Regarding regional stability on the Korean Peninsula, both foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing denuclearization and enduring peace through dialogue and diplomacy, promising close coordination on overall North Korea policies, including potential renewed dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.
“In this context, I re-emphasized that our government, as a party and pacemaker for peace on the Korean Peninsula, will actively support the resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue,” Minister Cho stated. A senior Foreign Ministry official noted, however, that no tangible progress regarding the actual resumption of North Korea-U.S. talks has been observed.
Ahead of the ministerial meeting, Minister Cho met with members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on his first day in Washington to urge congressional cooperation in implementing the joint fact sheet stemming from the November bilateral summit. Following his schedule in the U.S. capital, Cho traveled to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, where he is scheduled to meet again with Secretary Rubio on the 21st for the third trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting involving the United States, South Korea, and Japan.