'First Day at Work' Choi Jong-geon, Deputy Foreign Minister: "A Dichotomous Worldview Cannot Solve Diverse Diplomatic Challenges"

Emphasizing 'Practical, Pragmatic, and People-Centered Diplomacy'
"We Must Break Down Barriers Between Specializations and Communicate Proactively" Emphasized

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] “A dichotomous worldview of black and white cannot solve diverse diplomatic challenges. We must break down the boundaries between specialized fields, sit down with diversity, and deeply contemplate and listen to what the era and the people demand.”

Choi Jong-geon, the newly appointed First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated this in his inaugural speech on the 18th. On the same day, from 1:30 PM for 30 minutes, he held a meeting with about 40 department heads. Vice Minister Choi emphasized the need for practical, pragmatic, and people-centered diplomacy amid the rising prominence of non-traditional security issues.

He said, “The national interest pursued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must exist within the values of democracy and constitutional principles, and it must also align with the spirit of the times demanded by the people. In an era where non-traditional security issues like the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threaten even the daily lives of the people, we are required to practice more practical and substantive diplomacy, diplomacy for the people.”

Vice Minister Choi particularly stressed that a dichotomous worldview of black and white cannot solve diverse diplomatic challenges. This is interpreted as a remark considering pressing issues such as the US-China conflict and Korea-Japan relations.

He explained, “At a time when delicate and high-level strategies are needed, the reality of international politics neither forces us to choose between two extremes nor allows us to conduct diplomacy for the people in such rigid ways. The work of resolving various challenges that constrain national interests must start from a practical perspective.”

He also added a call to break down boundaries between specialized fields and communicate proactively. Vice Minister Choi said, “Putting authority first or building walls under the name of experts does not contribute to the competitiveness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We must break down the boundaries between specialized fields, sit down with diversity, and deeply contemplate and listen to what the era and the people demand.”

He continued, “Our diplomatic power will truly manifest on the foundation of such proactive communication efforts,” adding that he would seek internal consensus and also explain transparently and actively to the outside world to gain understanding.

Vice Minister Choi was appointed as the new First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs on the 14th. Considering the COVID-19 spread situation, no separate inauguration ceremony was held on this day.

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