Minister Kang Kyung-wha "Reviewing Hormuz Issue, Will Hear US Side's Thoughts"... Departing for ROK-US Foreign Ministers Meeting

"Comprehensive Consultations on North Korea Issues, Bilateral Matters, and Middle East Situation Expected"
During the ROK-US-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting, "Discussion on Trilateral Cooperation for Korean Peninsula Issues"

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is leaving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 22nd to attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Nagoya, Japan. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] "It seems comprehensive consultations will be held on North Korea issues, bilateral matters, and the recent Middle East situation."

Kang Kyung-wha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is departing for the United States for the South Korea-US Foreign Ministers' Meeting, stated this on the afternoon of the 13th at Incheon International Airport while speaking with reporters. She said, "It has been quite a while since I met with US Secretary of State Pompeo," adding, "There are many issues to discuss."

Regarding the US request for dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz, Kang plans to reconfirm the US position. She explained, "The government is continuously reviewing (joint defense related to the Strait of Hormuz)," and added, "We will listen to the US side's thoughts on what we are reviewing, and the discussions this time will serve as a reference for the government's decision."

On the resumption of stalled North Korea-US talks since October last year, it is expected that the foreign ministers' meeting will emphasize the absence of additional provocations from North Korea. Minister Kang said, "At this point, it seems important that there are no further provocations from North Korea," and continued, "We expect to share ways to resume North Korea-US talks while managing the overall situation, and consultations between ministers and at the level of chief negotiators will continue." Lee Do-hoon, Chief Negotiator for the Korean Peninsula Peace Process, also plans to continue discussions on the peace process on the Korean Peninsula soon in the US.

Regarding the South Korea-US-Japan foreign ministers' meeting expected to be held after the South Korea-US foreign ministers' meeting, it is anticipated that the three countries will discuss cooperation measures related to the Korean Peninsula issue. Minister Kang added, "We will share each country's assessments of the recent stalemate on the Korean Peninsula and discuss cooperation measures," explaining, "Basically, it will be an occasion to reaffirm the will to resolve issues through dialogue, as shared at the year-end summit last year."

Meanwhile, concerning the possibility of discussing a joint consultative body proposed by victims of forced labor during Japanese colonial rule, the government reiterated its basic principles. Minister Kang stated, "There is no change in the government's basic principles, which include respecting the Supreme Court ruling, respecting the plaintiffs' right to compensation, and responding based on the major axis of South Korea-Japan relations," adding, "We must continue consultations between South Korea and Japan while listening to various voices."

Minister Kang will hold the 10th-ever and the first foreign ministers' meeting of this year with US Secretary of State Pompeo on the morning of the 14th (local time) in the US. Subsequently, South Korea-US-Japan and South Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meetings are also expected to take place.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

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