South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul addressed the 2025 Asan Plenum hosted by the Asan Policy Institute on April 23, emphasizing that no country in the region wishes to make a binary choice between the US and China. He stated that no nation wants to see US-China strategic competition evolve into a “zero-sum game,” and that South Korea’s engagement with China serves American interests on multiple levels.
Minister Cho noted that South Korea’s foreign policy prioritizes the solid US-South Korea alliance, a position China has not objected to. He explained that South Korean engagement with China aligns with the goal of “preventing war between major powers in the 21st century.” Cho expressed concern about fractures appearing in the international order, noting that multilateral trade systems are founded on beliefs in shared prosperity rather than zero-sum competition—principles that have been fundamental to South Korea’s export-oriented economic development.
Regarding South Korea-China relations, the minister pledged to maintain open communication on areas of disagreement, including issues related to the South China Sea and the Yellow Sea (which South Korea calls the “West Sea”).
On South Korea-Japan relations, Minister Cho emphasized the need for both countries to reflect sincerely on the past to prevent regression in their hard-won cooperative momentum. He expressed his belief that the best way to create a better future is to proactively change one’s own perceptions and attitudes to encourage change in others.
Former US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell also spoke at the event, stating that South Korea and Japan, as major US allies, should actively participate in US decision-making processes regarding nuclear weapons. He suggested that South Korea use shipbuilding cooperation as leverage in negotiations with the United States.
Source: Yonhap News Agency, April 23, 2025
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