1. During his visit to Washington, D.C., the United States, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held a meeting with experts from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on February 27 (local time). He elaborated on the foreign policy trajectories charted by the Korean government at a time of great geopolitical change. He described them on the levels of the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world.

On the Korean Peninsula level, he talked about how Korea is creating an environment conducive to bringing the North back to the path of denuclearization through a holistic approach of deterrence, dissuasion and diplomacy, while keeping the door to dialogue open in accordance with the Audacious Initiative.

On the regional level, he described how Korea is striving to make a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region through the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy and detailed action plans. He noted that enhancing cooperation among Korea, the U.S., and Japan, and respecting ASEAN Centrality are important elements to the strategy.

At the global level, he elaborated how Korea is advancing diplomacy based on universal values such as freedom, democracy, and human rights. He noted that Korea is also hosting the 3rd Summit for Democracy, promoting North Korean human rights, and pursuing G7 Plus diplomacy.

2. Furthermore, Foreign Minister Cho stressed that ROK-U.S. Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance is the key pillar of Korean foreign policy. He noted that through the forthcoming ROK-U.S. Foreign Ministerial meeting, two sides will review the progress in implementing follow-up measures to the leaders’ agreements, demonstrate the robust ROK-U.S. alliance with aligned visions, values, and interests, and seek ways to increase mutual prosperity.

3. The participants commended that Korea has been actively pursuing its vision of becoming a Global Pivotal State underpinned by pragmatic leadership. They mentioned Korea’s efforts in addressing North Korean human rights issues, fostering global democracy through hosting the Summit for Democracy, deepening international solidarity through expanded development cooperation, and leading in digital transformation technologies.

4. In addition, the participants appreciated the broadening scope of the ROK-U.S. relations beyond traditional security cooperation to encompass various domains like economy, advanced technology, governance, and climate change. They noted a growing perception among officials and experts in Washington, D.C., that views Korea as a global actor and a key partner in the region.

5. Moreover, the participants welcomed the restoration of ROK-Japan relations under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and significant enhancement of trilateral cooperation among Korea, the U.S. and Japan. They expressed hope for further diversification and institutionalization of trilateral cooperation, irrespective of future changes in respective countries’ domestic political landscape.

6. On the North Korean nuclear issue, the participants underscored the need for thorough preparation vis-à-vis various scenarios of North Korea's nuclear use. They particularly highlighted the imperative of strengthening coordination between Korea and the U.S. in response to the possibility of limited nuclear use. In this regard, they applauded the Washington Declaration and the establishment of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) agreed to during President Yoon's state visit last year as pivotal instruments bolstering extended deterrence and enhancing deterrence capabilities against North Korea.

7. Furthermore, the participants commended the Korean government's increased efforts to communicate with the Chinese government to address North Korean defector issues, and suggested that the Korean government expand cooperation with neighboring Southeast Asian countries. They also emphasized the potential contribution of the North Korean community in the U.S. as a valuable asset to addressing North Korean human rights issues.