Foreign Minister Holds Consecutive Calls with Brazil and Mexico to Secure Oil and Energy Supplies (Comprehensive)

Phone Call with New Mexican Foreign Minister: Request for Cooperation in Securing Crude Oil for Korean Companies
Talks with Brazilian Minister: Discussing Ways to Expand Energy Supply Chain Cooperation

Hyun Cho, Minister of Foreign Affairs, held consecutive phone calls with the foreign ministers of Brazil and Mexico to secure crude oil and energy supplies amid supply chain disruptions caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Cho Hyun, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 16, Minister Cho held a phone conversation that morning with Roberto Velasco, the newly appointed Mexican Foreign Minister, and requested the cooperation of the Mexican government—a major oil producer in Latin America—to ensure stable crude oil imports for Korean companies.

Minister Cho said, "The crisis in the Middle East is having a significant impact on global security and economic stability, which is deeply concerning," adding, "I hope that peace and stability in the Middle East will be restored as soon as possible."

The two ministers also agreed that Mexico, as Korea's number one trade and investment partner in Latin America, has great potential for expanded economic cooperation in the future. Minister Cho emphasized the need for prompt institutional efforts to strengthen economic cooperation, including the resumption of negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and revisions to the investment protection agreement.

Earlier, on the afternoon of the previous day, Minister Cho also spoke with Mauro Vieira, the Brazilian Foreign Minister, to discuss ways to expand cooperation on energy supply chains in response to supply chain disruptions originating from the Middle East.

Minister Cho stated, "With the ongoing international energy and raw material supply chain crisis due to recent developments in the Middle East, the government is making every effort to secure alternative sources for items with high dependence on Middle Eastern crude oil." He added that he hopes cooperation with Brazil, a major crude oil producer, in the fields of energy security and supply chains will be significantly expanded.

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