Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, speaks with Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung during a Cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Wednesday that South Korea will continue to develop its alliance with the United States as the cornerstone of its foreign and security policy amid concerns about a potential rift between the two nations over key issues.
Cho made the remarks in a keynote speech, read by Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina at a policy forum at the National Assembly in Seoul.
"While there have been various speculations and concerns over South Korea-U.S. relations in recent months, I believe they stem from a deep sense of concern and attachment to the alliance," Cho said.
"We will accommodate diverse views in a balanced manner, manage pending issues through close and frequent communication based on mutual respect, and further strengthen trust and friendship in accordance with common sense and principles," he added.
Cho also stressed Seoul's efforts to take a more proactive role in the defense of the Korean Peninsula, including strengthening advanced defense capabilities, pursuing the construction of nuclear-powered submarines and advancing the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON).
Based on the alliance, South Korea will continue to strengthen trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, while also developing trilateral cooperation among South Korea, China and Japan, Cho added.
Signs of a potential rift between Seoul and Washington have emerged after the U.S. restricted intelligence sharing on North Korea, citing what it sees as a leak of classified information on a uranium enrichment facility in Kusong by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young.
The two sides have also been at odds over what some in the U.S. claim is unfair treatment of e-commerce giant Coupang, which has come under investigation in Seoul over a massive data breach.
On North Korea, the minister called for a phased approach to addressing Pyongyang's nuclear and missile capabilities through dialogue.
Source: Korea Times News
