[ Anchor ]
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with G7 counterparts to discuss the situation in the Middle East and other pressing issues.
Cho stressed the importance of maritime security with respect to the Strait of Hormuz.
He also held a separate meeting with Ukraine’s foreign minister to address the issue of North Korean soldiers held as prisoners of war.
This is reporter Ji Seong-rim.
[ Reporter ]
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun attended a two-day G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Yvelines, France.
Alongside the seven member states, foreign ministers from South Korea, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine were invited to participate.
Delegations focused on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has effectively restricted passage.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cho emphasized that maritime security is a core interest of the international community, citing the fallout from disruptions to shipping in the strait.
During the meetings, Cho held bilateral talks with representatives from eight countries, including France, to consult on key issues.
In particular, his meeting with Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, centered on North Korean soldiers being held in Ukrainian detention facilities.
The two ministers agreed to continue cooperating to resolve the prisoner issue in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.
Cho also met with Minister Sybiha at last November’s G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Canada to discuss the same matter.
「Cho Hyun / Foreign Minister」I met directly with the (Ukrainian) minister and received assurances that the North Korean prisoners of war would not be repatriated to Russia or North Korea…
Meanwhile, during the G7 meetings Cho only had a brief encounter with U.S. Secretary of State Mako Rubio; no substantive talks were reported.
Instead, Cho met separately with Allison Hooker, the State Department’s Under Secretary for Political Affairs and the U.S. lead representative at the meeting, to discuss the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
This is Ji Seong-rim for Yonhap News TV.
Video editing: Kim Kyung-mi
Graphics: Kim Dong-jun
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Ji Seong-rim (yoonik@yna.co.kr)
