Key facts
- South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun urged North Korea to return to dialogue at the ARF security forum in Manila.
- Cho discussed revisions to the Korea-U.S. nuclear energy agreement (123 Agreement) with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Seoul's efforts to develop nuclear-powered submarines were also a key topic in talks with Rubio.
- Cho highlighted recent progress in economic cooperation between Seoul and Washington, including the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center.
- The meetings occurred amid tensions over Seoul's regulatory actions involving U.S.-listed e-commerce company Coupang following a data leak.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun urged North Korea to return to dialogue at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) security meeting in Manila. Cho also pressed for faster progress in discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on security issues, including Seoul's efforts to develop nuclear-powered submarines and secure rights for uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing.
Cho conveyed these messages during brief pull-aside talks with Rubio held before and after their trilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on the sidelines of ASEAN-related meetings. Cho highlighted recent economic cooperation, including the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center, and called for advancing security discussions, particularly revisions to the Korea-U.S. nuclear energy agreement (123 Agreement).
Rubio and Hooker reportedly expressed understanding of Cho's remarks and agreed that the two sides should continue close consultations on pending issues. The meetings took place amid existing tensions between the allies over Seoul's regulatory actions concerning U.S.-listed e-commerce company Coupang following a massive data leak, which some U.S. lawmakers have criticized as discriminatory.
Cho emphasized the need to resolve several issues requiring further coordination and strengthen communication to reach agreements on important matters between the two countries.