This Year's First 'Diplomatic Strategy Adjustment Plenary Meeting', Minister Kang Kyung-wha: "The Spread of Self-Help De-Globalization... Must Be Taken Seriously and Prepared For"

Minister Kang: "Buffer zones between countries weakening... Multilateral cooperation frameworks also failing"
Presented directions in four areas: security, economic trade, science and technology, and value norms
'Consulate closures' escalate US-China conflict... Seeking response measures amid rapidly changing situation

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is entering the conference room to attend the Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 28th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] "While the demand for international cooperation and solidarity in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has increased, the spread of deglobalization based on self-help and intensified total national power competition have led to a shift beyond mere competition based on interests to confrontation at the level of national systems."

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha stated this during her opening remarks at the 3rd Foreign Strategy Coordination Meeting held on the 28th at the International Conference Room of the Government Seoul Office Annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul. She expressed concern, saying, "The existing buffer zones and links that used to provoke and resolve conflicts between countries are weakening," and "The multilateral cooperation framework where various countries' positions are coordinated is not functioning properly, and in the meantime, the role of international organizations is marginalized, while global supply chains and private exchanges are shrinking."

She emphasized the importance of proactively expanding a consistent policy foundation, as even minor frictions could escalate into intense clashes. Minister Kang said, "There is concern that minor frictions could escalate into severe conflicts and that finding compromises and seeking cooperation will become more difficult. We must seriously recognize and prepare for the possibility of facing heightened external challenges at an earlier stage," adding, "It is increasingly urgent to proactively expand a consistent policy foundation based on national interests and principles while keeping various possibilities in mind."

She then presented consistent directions in four areas?security, economic trade, science and technology, and value norms?derived through discussions at various levels. Minister Kang stated, "In the security sector, we must firmly strengthen the ROK-U.S. alliance, which is the cornerstone of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, while expanding our constructive role to enhance regional stability," and "In the economic trade sector, we need to strengthen a norm-based approach that is fair, reciprocal, open, and inclusive."

She continued, "In the science and technology sector, efforts to strengthen technological security should be pursued alongside maintaining strategic openness," and "In the value norms sector, we should contribute to the practical promotion of values jointly pursued by humanity."

She also stressed the need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in the international community by leveraging the achievements of Korea’s so-called globally recognized COVID-19 K-quarantine. She said, "Based on the elevated international status brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we will actively communicate with middle powers that share our will and proactively strengthen solidarity and cooperation in various issues and fields within the international community," adding, "We will become a capable middle power that connects coasts and continents, advanced and developing countries, and contributes to world peace, stability, and prosperity."

The 3rd meeting was attended by officials from 10 ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Ministry of Health and Welfare, as well as experts from various fields. The Foreign Strategy Coordination Meeting was launched in July last year to prepare foreign strategies to actively respond to rapidly changing international situations such as Japan’s export restrictions and the U.S.-China trade conflict. This plenary session is the first to be held this year, about seven months after the 1st meeting in July and the 2nd meeting in December last year.

The meeting is expected to discuss ways to seek South Korea’s response strategy amid the recently escalating U.S.-China conflict. The government is closely monitoring the U.S.-China conflict and plans to respond on a case-by-case basis, but it is aware of the risk that it may be forced to choose between the U.S. and China depending on the situation.

In particular, the recent U.S.-China conflict has expanded and intensified over issues such as pressure to exclude Chinese Huawei products, the use of 5th generation mobile communication (5G) networks, the Anti-China Economic Prosperity Network (EPN) initiative, the enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law, and the closure of consulates in each other's countries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.