Korea-US High-Level Economic Council held on the 31st to discuss supply chain cooperation
Delay in first phone call between Korean and Chinese foreign ministers: “It does not reflect the relationship between the two countries.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yeol will meet with U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg on the 30th to discuss Korea-U.S. cooperation, Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation, and North Korea issues.
Lim Soo-seok, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced Minister Cho’s schedule at a regular briefing this afternoon.
This is Minister Cho’s first time meeting Ambassador Goldberg since taking office.
During the meeting on this day, plans to strengthen the ROK-US alliance and Korea-US-Japan cooperation, North Korean nuclear and human rights issues, and major regional and global issues will be discussed.
Spokesperson Lim said, “Ambassador Goldberg is the first ambassador to Korea that Minister Cho has met since taking office, and today’s meeting reflects the importance of the ROK-US alliance,” adding, “Minister Cho is Ambassador Goldberg, who has worked to strengthen the alliance in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US alliance last year. “I think we will evaluate the contributions and exchange opinions on major issues,” he said.
On the 31st, the 8th Korea-U.S. High-Level Economic Discussion (SED) will be held together with the U.S. Department of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
SED is a regular vice-ministerial-level consultation channel through which the diplomatic authorities of Korea and the United States discuss comprehensive economic cooperation, and is co-chaired by Second Vice Minister Kang In-seon and Vice Minister for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment Jose Fernandez.
At the meeting, various pending issues are expected to be on the agenda, including the U.S. Semiconductor Act, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the supply chain of key minerals, and export regulations to China.
Spokesperson Lim said, “Second Vice Minister Kang will preside over the SED tomorrow, and Vice Minister Fernandez, the senior U.S. representative, will visit Korea for this meeting.” He added, “The two sides will intensively discuss various economic and security cooperation plans centered on the supply chain and discuss development and infrastructure.” “We will also discuss ways to strengthen global cooperation in areas such as these,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned against over-interpreting the delay in the ‘first greeting’ between the Korean and Chinese foreign ministers.
Starting with a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken the day after his appointment on the 10th, Minister Cho exchanged greetings over the phone with his counterparts from major countries, including Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Sun. .
Wang Yi, director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, only sent a congratulatory message immediately after Minister Cho’s inauguration, but there is still no news of a phone call between the foreign ministers of the two countries. Previously, in the case of former Minister Park Jin, he had his first phone call with Director Wang four days after his inauguration and concluded the meeting.
In response to this, Spokesperson Lim said, “It is customary for foreign ministers’ phone calls between the two countries to take place at a mutually convenient time,” adding, “There are cases where calls with some countries are delayed due to the other side’s circumstances, but such content reflects the current status of the relationship between the two countries. “I don’t think there is,” he said.
Source: Donga
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