South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is preparing a roadmap in case the President-elect US President Donald Trump reopens nuclear talks with North Korea while acknowledging that the recent political turmoil has disrupted ties with Trump’s team.
In a rare joint news conference with Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, Cho sought to reassure South Korea’s allies and stabilize the market after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration. Cho emphasized the strong communication channels between South Korea and Trump’s team but noted that the incident had affected the momentum between the two sides.
However, with Trump’s appointment of his former intelligence chief as a special envoy for North Korea policy, Cho’s team sees this as a sign that communication with Pyongyang may resume. Despite North Korea ignoring President Joe Biden’s outreach over the past four years, Cho and his team are preparing a roadmap for reopening negotiations.
Additionally, Cho mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping is planning to visit South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2025, marking his first visit in 11 years. He also highlighted China’s decision to extend visa-free entry to South Koreans, which is seen as a move to improve bilateral relations. South Korea is considering reciprocal measures in response.
