Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun held a meeting on October 16 with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden, Maria Malmer Stenergard, who was visiting Korea from Wednesday, October 15 to Thursday, October 16, and exchanged views on practical cooperation and regional developments.

Minister Cho appreciated the active high-level exchanges between the two countries since the inauguration of the new administration, including the visit of the Crown Princess of Sweden and her spouse, as well as the foreign ministers’ meeting held on that occasion. He expressed his hope that such high-level exchanges would lead to tangible outcomes in the development of bilateral relations.

Minister Malmer Stenergard expressed her pleasure that the two countries have developed a friendly and cooperative relationship across various fields, including politics, the economy, and culture. She noted that, given both countries’ high levels of technological expertise and innovation capacity, there is significant potential for bilateral cooperation in areas such as science and technology, AI, and renewable energy.

In response, Minister Cho noted that both countries possess strong capabilities and opportunities for cooperation in the defense industry and various manufacturing sectors, and expressed his hope that the two sides would broaden collaboration by exploring new cooperative projects. He added that Korean culture−including literature and K-pop−is gaining popularity not only in Sweden but around the world, while Korean popular culture has, in some respects, also been influenced by Swedish culture, such as ABBA. Minister Cho expressed his hope that cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries would further expand.

Meanwhile, Minister Cho explained the Korean government’s efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula and expressed his hope for continued close cooperation between the two countries in building lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

In addition, the two ministers exchanged views on regional developments and issues in Asia and Europe. Amid increasing global uncertainty, they recognized the growing need for cooperation between the two like-minded countries and agreed to continue close communication on the international stage.