1. On Friday, February 21, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held bilateral meetings with major counterparts from Europe and Africa during his attendance at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Johannesburg, the Republic of South Africa, from February 20 to 21. His counterparts included High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Caspar Veldkamp, Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain José Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Ronald Ozzy Lamola, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad and African Affairs of Algeria Ahmed Attaf.

2. In his bilateral meeting with High Representative Kallas, Minister Cho noted that the Korea-EU Strategic Partnership is expanding and progressing through initiatives such as the Green Partnership and Korea’s associate membership in Horizon Europe. High Representative Kallas emphasized the EU’s commitment to cooperation with Korea as a strategic partner and a key defense actor. Both sides agreed to continue consultations on implementing the Korea-EU Security and Defense Partnership, as agreed during their previous phone call on January 22, and to further enhance cooperation in fields such as the economy and science and technology.

3. Minister Cho also held his first bilateral meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Veldkamp, where both sides recognized that the Korea-Netherlands Strategic Partnership, to which bilateral relations were elevated in 2022, is deepening across diverse areas including diplomacy, security, and the economy. Minister Veldkamp expressed appreciation for Korea’s efforts to stabilize its domestic situation through democratic processes and conveyed his hopes for further development of the bilateral partnership. The two ministers agreed to continue discussions on establishing a “semiconductor alliance,” including through the early convening of the newly launched Foreign and Industry (2+2) Ministerial Dialogue. They also agreed to strengthen international cooperation, especially with the Netherlands set to host the NATO Summit this year.

4. In his meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister Cho noted the growing depth of bilateral ties as the two countries mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He expressed his hope to strengthen practical cooperation by revitalizing key consultation mechanisms such as the Strategic Dialogue and the Joint Economic Committee, and to explore avenues for joint advancement into third markets, including Latin America. Minister Albares welcomed these ideas and expressed his hope to closely cooperate in commemorating the 75th anniversary through various events organized in conjunction with the opening of the Cervantes Institute in Korea, including a high-level visit and the convening of the Korea-Spain Forum.

5. Minister Cho, the High Representative of the EU, and the Foreign Ministers of the Netherlands and Spain also exchanged in-depth views on shared concerns -- including the war in Ukraine and prospects for peace negotiations; relations with the United States following the launch of the new U.S. administration; the situation on the Korean Peninsula, illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea; and developments in the Indo-Pacific region and the broader international landscape. They agreed to maintain close communication and cooperation on major global issues going forward.

6. During the meeting with Minister Lamola, Minister Cho congratulated South Africa for successfully hosting the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and wished South Africa success in achieving meaningful outcomes as this year’s G20 Chair. Minister Lamola extended gratitude for Korea’s participation in the meeting and conveyed his expectation on expanding bilateral cooperation in international platforms within Africa.

7. The two Ministers agreed to work closely to further enhance substantive cooperation in various fields including high-level exchanges, trade, and investment. Minister Cho requested the South African government’s support for Korean companies operating in the country, while highlighting South Africa is the largest trading partner in Africa and a gateway to the continent for Korea.

8. In the meeting with Minister Attaf, Minister Cho noted the recent advancement in bilateral relations, underscored by active high-level exchanges and record-high trade volume of USD 3.9 billion. He also requested the Algerian government’s support in addressing difficulties that Korean companies operating in Algeria are facing. Minister Attaf expressed appreciation for Korea’s contributions in the infrastructure sector, and assured that the Algerian government would make every effort to deepen cooperation between the two countries, including defense and start-up industries. Both Ministers shared the view that the two countries would continue to communicate and cooperate closely on key international issues, including the DPRK and the Middle East issues, as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council for the 2024–2025 term.