외교부

Remarks by H.E. Cho Hyun

Minister of Foreign Affairs

“The 1st 2025 KNDA Dialogues with Ambassadors”

 Thursday, September 4, 2025

Good morning, Your Excellencies,

Ambassador Choe, thank you for your kind introduction and for arranging this meeting.

It is my honor to welcome each and every one of you this morning. 

I am privileged to extend my first official greetings to the Diplomatic Corps as Foreign Minister of the Lee Jae Myung government.

I trust you enjoyed your breakfast. 

I won’t take long with the speech.

(▶Korea’s renewal on the global stage)

I guess for the Ambassadors here, Korea has never been a boring place – you will always have something to report back to your capitals.

Unfortunately, there were dramatic events that started last December. Despite this turbulent period under martial law, I am proud that the Korean people were able to overcome it and give birth to this new government.

With this clear mandate of the Korean people, the Lee Jae Myung government was sworn in – an enduring milestone in the resilience of the Korean democracy.

Korea has regained functional and energetic governance. And I can say with confidence that Korea is back on the world stage.

I take this opportunity to thank the Diplomatic Corps for your confidence in and support for Korea’s democratic process and resilience. 

Assuming this office at this pivotal moment, I am deeply aware of the responsibility it carries.

Let me move on to our priorities.

(▶Peace on the Korean Peninsula)

As always, ensuring and securing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula remains the cornerstone of our foreign policy. 

Our government is determined to move beyond cycles of confrontation and escalation. 

Under the previous administration, inter-Korean relations reached the brink of severance. The Seoul-Pyeongyang hotline went silent.

Now, we seek a new chapter of peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity.

Let me be clear: Korea will not seek unification by absorption. 

Instead, we will work to restore dialogue between North and South, building trust through constructive engagement.

Nevertheless, we have the reality. We saw Chairman Kim Jong Un in Beijing yesterday.

And yet, we are approaching the North with a sense of pragmatism, I must say.

As emphasized during the recent summit in Washington D.C. between Korea and the United States, President Lee Jae Myung asked President Trump to become a “peace maker.”

And he pledged to become a “pace maker,” meaning that we ask the United States to lead the role of pulling North Korea to the next table of dialogue.

Will it happen under these circumstances? 

We do not know, but with much patience, we will look for the day and will leave no stone unturned to make it happen.

Guided by this conviction, Korea will pursue  meaningful progress on denuclearization as well, through a calibrated and phased strategy – but I will not go into the details.

Let me emphasize once again that reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula will benefit not only our people in the South and in the North, but also contribute to regional and global peace.

Your continued attention and support for this cause are therefore both welcome and needed.

(▶Korea’s Vision of Pragmatic Diplomacy)

Now, on other fronts, let me emphasize that the new government – our foreign policy – will be guided by nothing other than pragmatic diplomacy.

The Lee Jae Myung administration has set a guiding principle for foreign policy, that is: “pragmatic diplomacy.” No North Star, no ideological preoccupations. 

At home, this means safeguarding policy continuity, pursuing strategic accomplishments, and seeking broad public and bipartisan support. 

Difficult as it may be, we will pursue it.

Abroad, it means that we remain open-minded and strengthen bridges of cooperation with every partner. 

As a result, in just three months, Korea has pursued extensive global engagement.

President Lee has already spoken with more than 18 world leaders. He visited Canada in less than two weeks after his inauguration, where he met with a number of leaders. 

Many more summits will follow depending on your strong support.

Since then, he has also traveled to Japan and the United States.

Here in Seoul, we were also honored to welcome Vietnam as the first state guest of this government. 

Many more occasions will be forthcoming, and I look forward to your suggestions and strong push for more summits here and in other parts of the world.

President Lee will attend the General Assembly of the United Nations this month, and he will chair the Security Council Meeting. We will talk about AI and other issues.

Of course, we will continue to focus on the preparations for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting at the end of October. 

Even those who are not members of APEC, please pay attention to this big event, and we will continue to keep you posted.

(▶Recognition for Diplomatic Corps)

I believe none of these efforts of my government would be successful without the partnership of the diplomatic community here in Seoul.

And yet, we have not discussed a number of issues. 

For instance, challenges like demography in Korea. There are certain countries who share such challenges – we have to work together.

Of course, global issues like climate change and sustainable development goals. 

Again, we will work closely with you and Korea will continue to play its due role in achieving sustainable development goals.

However, as you are here – hopefully enjoying your life in Seoul – I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the vibrancy of Korean culture. 

Just this Tuesday, I attended the presentation of credentials ceremony for seven Ambassadors.

I won’t disclose details, but many of them mentioned their children’s love for K-pop culture – all the best!

I’m sure many of your families share that attention to the K-pop culture and are enjoying life in Korea.

The success of K-pop Demon Hunters shows how deeply our music resonates around the world.

But I want to emphasize that this is not something unique to Korea; it is the mixture of some different parts of all of your countries.

In that sense, again, I want to encourage you to deepen engagement with the Korean culture.

Of course, you will be engaging with Korean businessmen and business leaders for success in the business and commercial sectors as well.

We are going through a turbulent period of a new world economic order, so we have to engage with each other.

I want to stop here and take your questions.

Thank you.

/END/